


From The Embers

by War_Queen



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: ?? - Freeform, Dark Harry Potter, Death Eater Harry Potter, Don't copy to another site, Gen, M/M, Not Beta Read, Post HPATPS, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-18
Updated: 2020-04-10
Packaged: 2020-08-12 03:29:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 32,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20143984
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/War_Queen/pseuds/War_Queen
Summary: What if Harry’s abusive upbringing affected his response to the Dark Lord’s offer in his first year?





	1. Metamorphosis

**Author's Note:**

> Basically this is an idea that I hallucinated, and I thought.. Huh it would be nice to read something like this.
> 
> No beta, so all mistakes are mine. 
> 
> Pleasant reading!

“Harry Potter” Lord Voldemort hissed at the child standing in front of him, small hands tightly holding his wand. 

Who would believe that this small scrawny child had managed to conquer the Dark Lord himself! If these trials were to prove anything; however, it is that this child is resourceful and unlike many of his peers. 

Realizing who is standing before him little Harry shivered and took a step back, now he may be the boy who lived, but he is also an eleven years old child who had known nothing but fear and hatred for the last ten years of his life, so it was only natural that he would try to run away from someone who could so easily take his life. 

Voldemort; however, stopped him from going anywhere by raising a ring of fire to surround them, “Now Harry, don’t be a fool, why suffer a horrific death when you could join me and live a life better than the one you’re living now?” 

Harry Potter is not a coward, what he is however, is a child so no one should blame him for considering the Dark Lord’s offer. There was one problem though “Why would I join you when you killed my parents!” It was a logical question Harry thought, after all what would stop Voldemort from killing him next!? 

“Your parents signed up for this war willingly.” He moved around obscuring the mirror from Harry’s sight “They put themselves in harm's way regardless of having a child. It is not I whom you should blame for their death, but Dumbledore and their own sense of obligation to him.” Voldemort explained patiently, for if his words yielded fruit, Harry Potter would not be a worry of the future regardless of what the fulfilled prophecy stated. 

Harry bit his lips and took a deep breath, he understands Voldemort’s explanation because he knows that in war people die, even innocent ones, and they didn’t even pull out when they had him. And it's not like he remembers them, what mattered is the now and Harry didn’t want to die, he had just learnt of a whole new world and he has yet to see much of it! 

Harry Potter may have convinced the Sorting Hat of placing him in Gryffindor, but he is still a Slytherin at heart and if Slytherins were anything it’s cunning, and Harry truly cannot be blamed for agreeing to the Dark Lord’s offer. 

Harry sat in the garden of the Dursley’s house weeding and caring for the plants as he thought of Dumbledore’s disappointment in him, when he found out that he couldn’t pass the last trial, and how he had reacted by sending him away to his abusive family. Of course, he didn’t say that but he didn’t have to put it in words for Harry to understand. 

After Harry gave The Dark Lord the philosopher’s stone, he had been instructed on what to do and say and while that plan worked out, Harry had yet to see any of Voldemort’s promises come true and he was starting to regret his decision. 

Just as Harry was closing the small wooden shed’s door, his Aunt Petunia’s screeching voice called for him. Harry quickly got inside the house ready for a beating that he knows not the reason of only to see her and his uncle standing in the foyer looking blankly at the tall man standing with a poise that Harry had never seen anything like before, not even from uncle Vernon’s very important guests. 

“Yes, Aunt Petunia?” Harry’s wavering tone didn’t go unnoticed nor ignored by the very rich looking guest. 

The man stepped past them to look at Harry solemnly “Harry Potter, we meet formally at last” the man, whose voice was extremely familiar, extended a perfectly manicured hand for Harry to shake and it made him self-aware of the dirt under his broken and jagged nails. 

Harry shook the man’s hand nodding dully before the man’s voice finally set in “Voldemort!” Harry exhaled softly. 

“I apologize for the unannounced arrival ;however, it seems more appropriate for me to come and collect you myself than sending an owl or one of my followers,” The Dark Lord smiled charmingly “and it’s ‘My Lord’ for you Harry from now on, now go fetch your belongings.” 

Harry stared wide eyed and nodded to the Dark Lord. He really was here to take him away from the Dursleys and to a better place! “Yes My Lord!” Harry dashed to his room determinedly not asking why his uncle and aunt don’t seem to mind having another ‘freak’ in their house and trying his best to get used to calling Voldemort that by repeating ‘My Lord’ under his breath and gathering all of his meager belongings. With his bags almost fully packed he went down to get his old toys from the cupboard. They may be broken, but they were his and he can’t imagine parting from them. 

While little Harry was saying good bye to the spiders in his cupboard Lord Voldemort stared at him with his brows drawn “Harry, What are your things doing there?” Voldemort’s assumed that these muggles had confiscated his belongings, but he was not surprised when he found out that Harry had been living in that small cupboard under the stairs until the last year. 

Voldemort waved Harry away to go and finish packing and then focused his attention on the two muggles. ‘Pathetic’ he thought as he breached their minds one after the other and uncovered all the cruelties poor Harry had to endure. No child of magical blood should go through being demeaned and belittled by filthy muggles, and of course Dumbledore knew and did not do anything about it. 

Harry was trying to go down the stairs with his trunk in one hand and Hedwig’s cage in the other when Lord Voldemort spotted him and wandlessly shrunk the trunk for Harry to put in his pocket. 

“_ Harry _ ” The Dark Lord hissed to get his attention, if these filthy muggles memories were to be believed then the boy would be able to understand Parseltongue _ “ _ _ I am going to burn this house so that no one would try to look for you, _ _ they would _ _ have no use of a dead _ _ savior, so be sure to gather everything you wish to save from the fire.” _ The blood red eyes watched as eyes the color of the death curse widened in shock. The boy wears his emotions on his sleeves which will need fixing. 

Harry bit his lips and threaded his fingers looking at the Dark Lord imploringly trying to see how he would react “Vol…” a deep breath “My Lord maybe you can spare my family. They’re the last blood relation that I have. It is not their fault that I am a freak,” Harry could see how the Dark Lord’s eyes darkend with anger and his slitted reptilian pupils change shape and almost eclipse the red. Harry angered him and he is going to be punished now, he clinched his eyes shut and pulled his body tight waiting for the pain to come. 

Lord Voldemort was not particularly good with children. He had blessed his followers children before of course but what he was about to do was as special as the boy who fate deemed as his equal “You Harry Potter,” he hissed trying his hardest to be kind speaking to the child as if speaking to Nagini “ are not a freak.” “You are of magical blood, and you are to be my equal so remember that whenever you insult yourself you are also insulting me, your Lord. “his eyes darted between the boy’s making sure that he understands “And ** I **will not spare Muggle filth that dared abuse a precious magical child. Understood?” 

Harry nodded vigorously with tears in his eyes, the Dursleys never treated him like family and while the Weasleys were nice to him, they had never said that he wasn’t a freak or that he was a precious anything! “Yes My Lord” Harry sniffled, his big glasses steaming from his tears and obscuring his vision. 

Voldemort nodded solemnly and grabbed a hold of the boy “hold tight” he murmured low enough for Harry to hear before pulling his wand and casting ‘Fiendfyre’ releasing a giant snake ,that Harry would learn later is a basilisk, and then apparated back to his manor, he had a lot to take care of and there was so little time. 

Now one would wonder what would a little child do in the Dark Lord’s base, it is after all not a place for a child to live in and that’s exactly what Voldemort thought of. Therefore, in the meager amount of a months' time he had summoned and gathered all his remaining inner circle -discreetly of course- to go to Azkaban recementing the alliance between them and the Dementors, and taking his loyal followers back to his manor. 

Meanwhile Harry Potter spent most of his time exploring the manor and spending his time in the library, garden, or with the house elves whom he had made quick friends with upon meeting. 

For the first two weeks Harry had expected to be tortured or manipulated by the Dark Lord but nothing happened at all. He had a few rules set in place, Harry must wake up early -he had thought it would be to make the breakfast but it wasn’t- because the Dark Lord detested laziness, All meals must be eaten together in the dining room, and at the end of everyday Harry must recount his day to the Dark Lord. 

Harry didn’t find that stifling, in fact the Dark Lord have shown an involvement in his life that no other had shown before. Whenever he would ask him about something, the war, a book, or a spell, the Dark Lord was willing to embark upon Harry of his seemingly unending knowledge. Despite his guilt Harry found himself admiring the Dark Lord and understanding why thousands of wizards and witches would follow him into war. 

Harry was sitting on his bed in his bedchamber flipping the pages of his parent's album when the Dark Lord entered his room. Harry tried to quickly hide the album; the Dark Lord may have been kind so far but surly he would get mad if he found out that Harry was looking at pictures of his parents who were enemies of his regime. 

The Dark Lord saw the album and extended a hand for Harry to hand it over, he wouldn’t want Harry to correspond with the light and alert them of his return. He may have given his owl freedom but he won’t forgive betrayal, especially with what he was about to offer him. 

Harry hesitantly handed the album to the Dark Lord crawling back on his bed ready for a berating, he glanced at the Dark Lord as he opened the album tilting his head as he looked at the images. “I’m sorry” Harry whispered 

“What for,” the Dark Lord close the album and looked blankly at Harry, Harry recognized that look. It is how his Lord would look at him when he was surprised by something that he did and didn’t know what to do with him “they are your parents and I suppose that at your age you would be curious about them, I know I was.” 

Harry took back his album and hugged it, nodding at the Dark Lord’s words. Everyone and every book on the war talked about how terrible a person the Dark Lord is ,and Harry knows he is after all many of the books he read in the library contained spells that kill and torture horribly, but still the Dark Lord was very kind to him and Harry may have not realized it himself but his royalty to the Dark Lord grew with each day. 

The Dark Lord looked at Harry for a second and motioned for him to get up “Harry, you have not met many of my followers,” Harry nodded for he had only met Mr. Malfoy “I’m asking you now to meet my most faithful. They’re to be your new parents. After all a child needs the love of their parents to grow up.” 

Harry’s eyes widened ‘new parents?’ “But.. no one would like me. Aunt Petunia said that no one likes me and that no one wants me,” his brows were frowned he did wish to feel a parent’s love but he didn’t want to live with someone who was forced to take care of him. 

Voldemort put his hand on the boy’s head in an awkward attempt of comfort that he’d seen his followers do to their children removing it after seeing the boy shiver “I won’t force you nor the Lestranges to anything. You will meet them and if they like you and you like them, they can adopt you and you would be their son even in blood. They have no heir and my dear Bella lost her ability to bear in one of the raids. I’m sure you would like each other.” 

Harry pursed his lips not knowing how to express his happiness, he remembers how his friends… his old friends used to hug him but he wasn’t comfortable with it and he doubts his Lord would be either. His Lord looks like he misunderstood his silence so Harry smiled at him wide and held the hand that was on his head seconds ago with both of his hands “Thank you My Lord!” 

Lord Voldemort nodded, hopefully having a child of her own would temper some of Bella’s vehemence. “I’ll set up a meeting in a week’s time.” 

After a whole week of treatment and intensive care, the Dark Lord’s followers were in a much better condition than they were when they had been. The Dark Lord had made sure that even though his followers resided in the same manor as Harry, that they would never meet, so when it was time, he ordered Bellatrix and Rodolphus to attend dinner with him. 

Harry, meanwhile, was in his room nervously looking at his reflection. The Dark Lord had provided him clothing of his size and he was trying to look his best to leave a good impression on his parents to be. It wasn’t that he didn’t Like being with the Dark Lord, it was the opposite actually, but he doesn’t see his Lord as a paternal figure. Giving up on trying to fix his hair Harry gave his robes a final look and left his bedchamber to the dining room. 

Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange were previously informed of the Dark Lord’s offer. Their Lord wished to reward them for their loyalty and what better reward than give them the child they’d always wanted, not only that but also that child was the Dark Lord’s equal. It’d be a lie to say that Bellatrix wasn’t maddened when she learnt of that; however, she’d calmed down later, the prophecy had been fulfilled and the child is loyal to her Lord. She was already looking forward to meeting him, while he is not a toddler that she would raise and watch over, she still looked forward to having a son whom she could pass on her knowledge to. Hers and her Husband’s Legacy. 

The Dark Lord sat on his throne at the head of the table as he waited for Harry’s arrival. Harry wasn’t late, but the Lestranges were already there, bowing to their Lord and taking their place, Bellatrix on the Dark Lord’s right and Rodolphus next to her. Bellatrix was practically buzzing in her seat her wild hair framing her pale skin and wild eyes that were roving the space moving from her hands to the door to her Lord and back to her hands again. It was truly a privilege to be given a child by the Dark Lord himself. Her Lord knew of hers and her husband’s desire for a child, and his mercifulness saw them rewarded and their hopes seen to. 

Harry entered the room with his head somewhat tilted up. He was nervous that’s true, but he wanted them to like him and it was doubtful that wizards as dark as they’re would appreciate a timid child. Bowing to his Lord Harry took place to his left facing his mother to be. 

Throat bobbing he looked at his Lord “Good evening My Lord.” Eyes quickly averting back to his plate. 

The Dark Lord hummed and waved his hand for the food to appear “Harry” he acknowledged Harry’s arrival before addressing the attendance “Harry potter,” he waved at him and then at the other two “Bellatrix Lestrange And Rodolphus Lestrange.” The Dark Lord introduced and began to eat, and they soon followed. 

The meal was delicious as always and the conversation was pleasant. The Lestranges were pleasantly surprised by the boy's report of his day activities. After all not many children knew of half the things the boy was asking about, his obvious muggle upbringing not withstanding. Bellatrix barley made it to the end of the meal before bursting and overwhelming Harry with her questions, endearments and coddling. The Dark Lord was pleased and told the three to be ready for a trip to Gringotts to officialize the adoption and for the ritual. 

Gringotts being a neutral party in the war had no qualms about dealing with the Dark Lord or Azkaban escapees. The adoption process went swimmingly, Harry-now Hadrian- getting his mother’s pale gray eyes with some persistent flicks of bright emerald and his father’s loose dark curls. 

Lord Voldemort afterwards, insisted upon privatizing all records of Hadrian Cygnus Lestrange, and on making sure that Harry James Potter had truly died in the reported fire in his homestead. No tracking spell, rune, potion, nor ritual would be able to locate the now dead Harry Potter. It was true that the manor’s wards and the Dark Lord’s incantation after prevented that from happening, but this was much safer, after all it wouldn’t do to allow a simple mistake to cost them their son and the war. 

Harry’s feelings as he looked at his reflection in the mirror were bittersweet. On one hand, he is betraying the light and everything Lilly and James Potter ever stood for, and on the other, he now had a family that would love him and if his Lord stood by his promise, he wouldn’t be forced to do things that he didn’t like. 

Taking a deep breath and closing his eyes Harry made a decision in that moment. In a room deep inside the wizarding bank Gringotts, while his Lord and his parents talked to the goblins, and it was a decision that would change the fate of the wizarding world forever. He will live his life as he wanted it and not as he felt he should, he was now Hadrian Cygnus Lestrange and Harry Potter the boy who lived was dead. 

Long Live Harry Potter the savior of the Wizarding world for he is no more. 

By the end of the summer Hadrian Lestrange have been enrolled to attend Durmstrang the Bulgarian institute of witchcraft and Wizardry. The Lestranges moved to their Manor in Bulgaria and had showered their son with affection. Hadrian spent most of his day with his mother, who could hardly bear to be separated from him, teaching him all the ways of the dark arts and making sure that he would grow to be their Lord’s favorite, and sometimes with his father, who made sure that Hadrian would grow up to be an outstanding heir to the family. Between his not quite sane mother and his strict yet loving father Hadrian felt loved like never before. 

Bellatrix insisted on singing her dear Hadrian a lullaby before sleep despite his age. After all he was her son and she would hold onto pampering him until he grew older and bored with her ministrations. Rodolphus, too, was enamored with his son who showed great promise of bringing back their family to its former glory. It was only a matter of time before their Lord would rule upon the wizarding world and he would want his son to be well versed in politics, etiquette as well as combat to earn a place as the Dark Lord’s right hand. 

Hadrian had truly never felt such love and belonging. His every deed was celebrated. And when his parents heard of his gift with the snake tongue they were ecstatic and his mother had hardly let him touch the flood with the strength of her hug. For a dark nasty wicked witch, she was surprisingly affectionate insisting on brushing his hair every night, and soon Hadrian stopped flinching whenever a hand landed on his head or shoulder, he now returned his mother’s hugs and, on some cases, had initiated them. 

Hadrian grew to be the pride of the Lestrange family and had them even prouder when the Dark Lord announced his desire to Mark him. 

The Dark Lord had gathered his followers in his throne room and the Lestrange kid was the only youngster among them. “I have gathered you all here today my loyal followers for the initiation of one Hadrian Cygnus Lestrange.” As he stood from his throne and his eyes roamed over the murmuring death eaters who were clearly surprised, he explained “ now of course I don’t mark underaged children ,after all only the best and the brightest have a place amongst my own,“ with a wave to the standing Lestranges the Dark Lord’s voice slipped into a pleasant hiss “ However I do reward generously and they had earned my generosity. Had they not. “ 

A chorus of “They had, My Lord” resonated through the walls. After all everyone knew of their unwavering loyalty to their Lord. They had endured Azkaban for ten years in his name. Not to mention that no death eater in their right mind would oppose the Dark Lord. 

Hadrian walked over to kneel in front of his Lord with pride and nerves warring in his small build. “It is my great honor My Lord.” Hadrian kept his face down and waited patiently to be marked. His mother said that it had been one of the happiest memories she’d had and he was glad to be able to experience it. His mark showed who his loyalties were for and who he served, and Hadrian is proud to be a dark wizard. 

Lord Voldemort pressed the tip of his wand to Hadrian’s face considering. Hadrian had endured enough pain because of him, and yet here he is on his knees for his Lord. Loyal and willing. The wand trailed down to Hadrian’s now bared forearm and Voldemort’s reptilian red eyes settled on Hadrian’s for a second before resolving to not cause pain for once, but pleasure. One that Hadrian would never forget in his life. 

Hadrian closed his eyes in the face of the scalding heat the was spreading through his arm and to his body. It was not pain for he knows what pain felt like; however, it was a sense of almost stifling heat like he was being cooked alive, but without the feeling of pain. His nerves were alight and tears ran down his face. When the Mark finally settled on his skin and the wand was no longer touching his skin Hadrian looked at his Lord dazedly and he was sure that had he not been kneeling, his knees would’ve given up under him. 

“Thank you My Lord “Hadrian’s voice was hoarse and wrung out. Like he had run the whole day and now wanted only to sleep. 

The Dark Lord nodded and raised his head to watch as his death eaters stared shocked, for even the strongest amongst them had screamed themselves hoarse and little Hadrian had only shed tears and shivered in place. The only similar reaction was that of his mother but even she was not as silent as he were, and that made all the unvoiced doubts any of them had of legitimacy of the boy’s heritage. 

On Hadrian’s twelfth birthday his parents took him to Wizarding Paris and got him a change of wardrobe. His every garment now carried the crest of his family and Hadrian was delighted he had a family that cared for him and wanted him enough to want him to wear their mark. 

Upon their return to the manor all the dark sect were gathered for the celebration of his birth. He met with his cousin Draco and he was not as mean and brutish as he knew him to be in his days of Hogwarts. Everyone got him gifts and all of them together were more than Dudley ever had. 

Hadrian was mad with joy in his mother’s arms as she played with his hair. “Thank you mother, father” his father smiled at him and patted his head “It is nothing son.” 

“Hadrian Darling don’t be so serious,” Bellatrix squished his cheeks and smiled her usual unhinged smile that Hadrian began to associate with love and mischief “you don’t need to thank us for every little thing! If we don’t pamper you then who are we going to pamper?!” To his answering grin she whispered “now let us open the gifts! I’m excited to find out what had our Lord gotten for you!” 

When everyone was settled, Harry sat at the head table between his mother and father with their Lord at the middle and began opening his gifts. Most of them were books or some really cool toys that Hadrian was excited to try; however, he had opened all of them now and his Lord’s had not been one of them. 

The Dark Lord gestured for Hadrian to stand near him and when he did the Dark Lord held out his hand for a sleek lack snake to slither out and into Hadrian's hand. Hadrian was somewhat startled but when the snake hissed and wrapped around his forearm Hadrian’s eyes widened with glee “Thank you Master!” The Dark Lord nodded nonchalantly but Hadrian knew better and for the rest of the day his smile did not fade. It truly was the happiest day of his life. 

Hadrian left for Durmstrang at the beginning of the term after saying farewell to his parents and his Lord. Durmastrang was not as huge and majestic as Hogwarts, but it was magical in its own right. Hadrian knew he would miss Hogwarts and there is nothing to do about it, after all, it had been his first home and where he first met his Lord, but as his Lord he told him ‘there is no use lingering in the past, one must look forward and seek to advance.’ Durmstrang Institute was impressive and his mother said that the uniform suited him well, it was the color of her favorite curse so he thought she were biased. The castle stood proud in the middle of a body of water that seemed endless. Spanning as far as his eyes can see the water glimmered. 

Hadrian had been introduced to the student body by the headmaster, who had been punished severely for his betrayal by his Lord. Everyone seemed to take his presence in stride, it made sense that the Lestrange heir would be in hiding and only show up when his parents broke out of Azkaban. 

Hadrian did not fraternize with the students for a long while, for he wanted to learn of everything there was to learn and having friends would be a waste of a precious time. It was what he learnt from observing his Lord. 

The thing about children and adolescence ,especially abused ones, is that they’re extremely impressionable and so very easily swayed once shown an ounce of empathy and compassion. And Hadrian felt love like he never had felt before when he was saved by Lord Voldemort and adopted by his parents so no matter the logic one would speak to him with, he would always see his Lord in an adoring and admiring light. 

So it was that Hadrian spent his days in Durmstrang institute studying as hard as he was able and learning every bit of knowledge he could, to be a useful asset to his Lord. The institute did not object to his friend, whom he had named Pluto, after the god of the underworld, and he had no time to feel alone between his studies and his friend’s quite interesting observations of the “land striders”. 

Of course, Bellatrix could not be patient for long and begged her Lord for a post in Durmstrang. After a lot of groveling and successful missions, her Lord finally granted her wish and sent her to teach in Durmstrang , while of course prioritizing her death eater duties. She had not waited after that, quickly gathering her trunk under the gaze of her humored husband and flooed over directly to Karakroffe’s office and dashing quickly in search of her son whom upon seeing had tackled to the floor in excitement. 

“Oh my baby I had missed you so much!” Her hug reminded him of how Nagini would wrap around him and squeeze until he couldn’t breath when she were excited 

“Mom! what are you doing here!” Hadrian’s etiquette classes had been successful, truly they had, however their reach did not extend to when he was in the company of his mother who had never quite liked being constricted by rules, so his emotions of surprised delight were obvious on his face. 

“Oh, my itty bitty Harry, I could not bear to be parted from you,” She sighed pouting and sat on the floor petting his curls “I asked our Lord to send me here and he agreed! And now I can be there for your training and make sure that you would learn everything there is to learn!” 

“Oh!” he smiled “But where will you be staying?” when they picked his new name it had been one that wouldn’t get him into trouble if he responded to his former one but his mother took a liking to the name ‘Harry’ and seemed to only call him that. 

“In my rooms of course! Our Lord allowed me to be here on the condition that I’d be the new Dark Arts teacher here.” She said as she dusted her skirt and held his hand as they walked or more accuratly in her case skipped “I couldn’t be bothered with the students here really, but Lord Voldemort’s word is the law.” 

Hadrian nodded. Whatever their Lord wished; it shall be. He looked forward to spending time with his mother, she was definitely up to no good and his father was not here to dissuade her. 

Hadrian Lestrange’s life until his fourth year had not been as eventful as his first year in Hogwarts ,in that no one had tried to end his life, at least not that he knew of. Otherwise his life was quite hectic. Between his dearly beloved mother who he adored ,his father and uncle who appeared strict to him but in truth loved him as much as his mother did, and finally his Lord, who had given him personal lessons on the magic of the language only they can speak, Hadrian had lived a life that he had only been able to dream of in the past. 

Every year his parents, aunt Narcissa with her family, uncle Rabastan, godfather Barty -who the Dark Lord freed from his imperiued imprisonment- and of course his Lord would celebrate his birth and gift him the most precious and rare gifts. On the holidays he would sometimes accompany his parents to the meetings his Lord held and with each one he attends his admiration for his Lord grows. 

It was on the summer break before his fourth year that his Lord had ordered him specifically to stay afterwards. No one was worried for him, not for lack of care but because they knew of the fondness their Lord held for him. 

When the throne room was empty of everyone but Hadrian and Lord Voldemort, the Dark Lord approached the kneeling boy in front of him. Hadrian had grown well, despite the residue of abuse apparent in how short he was compared to his year mates. Not that it changed how better he was than any of them. 

“_Hadrian__,_” the Dark Lord hissed the boy’s name tilting his head in a reptilian manner “_are you loyal to me _ _ , t__o my cause?_” He asked 

Hadrian looked up at his Lord’s eyes as he answered “_yes __My __Lord._” 

“_Would you __kill for m__e Hadrian?_” asked the hypnotic voice 

“_Anyone __My __Lord._” 

“_ Such big promises _ _ Hadrian, careful should you __be __beholden them. _“he stepped closer to him and asked “_Would you die__, for me Hadrian? _” 

“_In a blink __My __Lord_” Hadrian answered, surly his Lord knew of his unwavering loyalty. 

“_ In a__ blink._“ the Dark Lord smirked how fate liked to play with him and how she favored him “_This mark of mine you carry, I shall take it off you now _” 

Harry clutched his mark in an attempt to cover it “_My __Lord __if I had done something to displease you please give me a chance to atone! You are most merciful and I shall never disappoint again __My __Lord__. _” He tried hard not to let his voice waver but it was in vain, for he feared nothing, not even death, except disappointing his Lord. And what could speak more of disappointment more than his Lord’s desire to unmark him. 

The Dark Lord chuckled at how flustered the boy had gotten. Who would’ve thought that the boy who was destined to vanquish him would look as devastated and shattered as he is at the notion of his mark being taken from him. And at such young age. “_Worry not Hadrian,_” the Dark Lord calmed 

Hadrian looked up hopefully, his Lord had forgiven him and he would make sure that he never disappoint again, his Lord however held his forearm and caressed the mark that hissed in his presence. “_ You have __not __displeased me, quite the opposite __in fact _ _ . _ ” With a smirk he lifted Hadrian’s chin so that their eyes clashed “It _ is high time that the Wizarding world _ _ falls under __my __command. _ _ And you Hadrian are going to be there for _ _ the beginning of it.” _ Hadrian’s eyes widened in surprise _ “ _ _ I will _ _ entrust _ _ this mission to you and for you to do it you’re going to go to Hogwarts. And if anyone _ _ saw _ _ my mark upon your skin there won’t be time _ _ for _ _ you to finish your task before it had already failed. _” 

Hadrian stared wide eyed as he absorbed his Lord’s words. Finally they would have no need to hide from the light. His Lord will take his rightful place as the ruler of Great Britain as it should be! And he was entrusted with this great task! Yet, yet he would do anything for his Lord to not take his mark from his skin. He thinks he would go mad if he could not feel his Lord’s magic upon his skin. 

“_ My _ _ Lord _ _ it is my honor to be the one entrusted w _ _ ith the _ _ such a vital role in _ _ your _ _ regimen _ _ ;however, _ _ My _ _ Lord _ _ I _ _ do not wish to be unmarked for I don’t think I would survive it. _” Hadrian looked down to the ground. He would’ve felt shame had he not known his Lord’s influence on his followers. It was a fate worse than death for a death eater to be unmarked. 

Lord Voldemort considered Hadrian for a while, the boy was stronger than to go mad at the absence of the mark, especially with the shard of his soul which merged inseparably with his own_ . _ _ “The placement of the mark puts you in great danger of exposure, you must appear the same as the other students of your institute and undoubtedly an occasion would arise where your arm must be bared.” _

Hadrian was silent in the wake of his Lord’s explanation. So the problem was not in him carrying it, but in it’s placement. _ “ _ _ My _ _ Lord _ _ ,” _ Hadrian swallowed hoping that he was not transgressing _ “ _ _ you could change the placement of the mark to a place that would not _ _ put me _ _ in danger of _ _ exposure.” _

“_ And where do you suggest that be? _” The Dark Lord inquired thoughtfully 

Hadrian blinked quickly thinking of such a place. It would have to be high enough or low enough to not be accidentally exposed, and for his Lord to change the placement of the mark he would have to bare his skin for him. Hadrian flushed in embarrassment, this means only one possible place “_ My back, _ _ My _ _ Lord _ _ .” _

The Dark Lord stared at Hadrian for a moment _ “Well then,” _motioning for him to take his shirt off. 

Hadrian nodded and took off his robe followed by his shirt clutching them both. The Dark Lord circled him to stand directly behind him and pressed his yew wand to his protruding spine trailing it up between his shoulder blades and stopping _ “Here will do I suppose.” _

Hadrian trembled as he felt his forearm alight with fire and then his back ignited. The feeling was so intense that he could not tell if it were pleasure or pain. He braced his hands against the cold tile and took deep breaths to distract himself from the feelings. 

Just as it suddenly started it was over. And when Hadrian tried to talk his voice was hoarse. If he was so incensed as to not feel nor hear himself scream then Hadrian believed that it was pain that he felt. His eyes drooped lazily, he felt as if he had been under something worse than the Cruciatus Curse. 

_ “Very well Hadrian, Very well indeed.” _ The Dark Lord praised him before returning to his throne and explaining his plan to Hadrian. 

Hadrian’s birthday passed as the others before it, surrounded by his family and in the Dark Lord’s presence. It may not be an extravagant ball like his first birthday with his parents, but he wouldn’t exchange it for anything. His Lord even gifted him with the target for his fourteenth birthday hunt. 

Bellatrix made sure to buy Hadrian the best outfit the money could buy not only out of her love for him, which was unparalleled and second only to her Lord’s, but also to spite the light and Dumbledore. In the days leading up to Her little Harry’s departure she made sure to spend her every waking moment with him. Her Hadrian can now recount the placement of every stone in the dungeons if asked and knows more torture spells than anyone in the dark sect, he even has a few favorites of his own. 

The selected elite of Durmstrang marched into the Main hall of Hogwarts with their heads high and morales higher. All of Hogwarts students seemed to be enchanted by the way they manipulated fire to their whims. Whispering amongst themselves and swooning over one Victor Krum, who had won Bulgaria the quidditch cup this year. 

Hadrian blinked slowly, eyes roaming around the place and stopping on the Gryffindor table unable to resist looking at his old friends. He thought he would feel sad at seeing them, guilty even, he felt not even the past ache of hearing of them. What he felt was a curious nonchalance, no feelings whatsoever towards his once friends. 

His eyes left the two and settled on his cousin and his friends. He was not as acquainted with them as he was his cousin but they would have to do as company for his time here. 

As the students took their places, the Durmstrang’s student body following their headmaster and sitting by the Slytherins and the Beauxbatons taking place by the reserved and mature Ravenclaws, Dumbledore stood and announced the “TriWizard Tournament”. 

Hadrian stared at Hogwarts headmaster with well hidden resentment. He had spent many nights with his Lord where he learned of his Horcruxes and most importantly his past, one that only he and the old fool knew about. The Dark Lord detested Dumbledore and Hadrian grew into that hatred. 

Hogwarts students were outraged at Dumbledore’s announcement of the drawn age line. They all wanted the glory and fame not knowing it wouldn’t last, you never hear of previous winners of the tournament after all. No matter, this year’s win would be ingrained into the minds of every witch and wizard. With the education the British undergo its no wonder that they’re not allowed to participate, for they can’t handle the tournament. No matter, soon enough his Lord will rule over the Wizarding Britain and restore Hogwarts to it’s glory. 

Hadrian got to know Draco’s friends in the time everyone waited for the choosing of the champions. They were nicer than they were to him in his first year and he understood that. He would’ve been as cruel if not more to anyone who threatened his Lord’s reign. 

The Slytherin common room was warm and cozy and the glass wall under the lake showed a very charming view. He truly missed Hogwarts and wished that when his Lord prevails, he would be allowed to attend it once more. 

The Slytherins were quite disappointed when they found that he no longer carried their Lord’s mark, and Hadrian didn’t bother to correct them. It was a privilege to carry the Dark Lord’s magic with you wherever you went and a higher privilege his Lord bestowed him with is his mark, that was unlike anyone else’s. No one was deserving of laying eyes on it. 

Finally, the time to announce the champions had come. Everyone gathered in the great hall with bated breaths waiting for the names of those who would compete for glory, and when Dumbledore announced “Hadrian Lestrange” everyone gasped. The hall, washed in the blue of the flames as it is, felt as if a dementor had invaded it. The temperature dropped and a solemn gloom covered most of the Hogwarts student body. All of Hogwarts students stared ,each with a different combination of surprise, disgust, fear, or respect. Hadrian marched into the back room, where the Beauxbatons champion entered, with his back straight and his head raised proudly. 

Once Hadrian left and Hogwarts champion was announced all hell broke loose. Hogwarts students protested not only Hadrian’s participation but also his presence. They were outraged at the presence of the son of a prosecuted and very well known escapee death eaters, and Dumbledore had to calm them before he was able to join the other headmasters. 

Inside the room, the head of the DMLE, Bartemius Crouch Sr. looked angry at his inability to do anything about Hadrian’s participation “What is this death eater doing here in my country!” His outrage was palpable and as detestable as Hadrian had expected of him. The man looked as detestable as Hadrian heard of him, his bulky body and wrinkle filled face making him look nothing like his son. His time would come soon, the Dark Lord had no need of the likes of him, magical or not. 

“Crouch,” Headmaster Karakroff stepped up next to his champion “I would be careful with the words you say. After all the whole purpose of this event was to fix the relationship between our countries and I doubt you wish for it to worsen by careless unfounded claims.” 

Hadrian watched passively , uncaring as long as he gets to execute his Lord’s plan. And as it turned out everyone at the end accepted the fact that he would be participating and that they can do nothing about it. He was picked by the goblet of fire after all. 

When the French left the room Hadrian turned to his headmaster and excused himself “Headmaster, I must go tell my mother of the news.“ 

Karakroff nodded and left the room as well, ignoring how Dumbledore looked ready to snap and Crouch’s face flushed a bright red in his outrage teeth bared and hand tightly clinched around his wand. 

Hadrian knew better than to use interceptable owls as a form of communication and has long ago invented a communication spell under his mother’s apprenticeship, which pleased his Lord greatly. Retreating to his room in the ship, Hadrian stood before the wall mirror, casted the spell with whispered words, and took a step back as the reflective surface glimmered golden before showing his Lord sitting in his office. 

Hadrian knelt with a soft “My Lord,”standing swiftly with his Lord’s permission. “I’ve been Chosen as the champion, as you wished.” 

The Dark Lord stood from his seat, walking to stand before the mirror, and hummed pleased with the swift progression of their plan. Hadrian was the most worthy of them, after all, he didn’t shy from magic no matter its affliction. “Very well Hadrian.” His head tilted in that reptilian way of his “Do not disappoint.” 

“ I would bring you pride and victory My Lord. “ Hadrian was sure of this for there was no world where he would disappoint his Lord. 

The golden glimmer disappeared as the Dark Lord smirked and waved his hand at it, and he was no longer in front of Hadrian. 

Overall Lord Voldemort had given Hadrian four main tasks. Two of them had to be done before the end of the year, and they were of utmost importance. Find Ravenclaw’s diadem in The Room of Requirements and free the Basilisk from The Chamber of Secrets. 

The other two were more complicated, for he knew where to find the diadem and the basilisk. Convincing Longbottom to change his alliances, to one that guaranteed a fate worse than death to his parents no less, is not an easy task, he hardly could talk to the boy before he ran away let alone befriend him. 

Hadrian sighed and rolled on his back to stare at the roof of his room. The first task was coming soon and he was nowhere near a friend to Longbottom. Sighing again Hadrian restlessly changed his position, he had never disappointed his Lord and he had no wish to do so, but Longbottom was so frustratingly elusive! 

Hadrian fell asleep thinking of how pleased his Lord would be when he presents him with not only the basilisk and the diadem but also the loyalty of the next generation of Longbottoms. 

Hadrian spent the days before the first task in the company of his cousin and his friends, trying his best to avoid the insistent Retired auror, now defense teacher. The man was extremely bothersome, trying to get Hadrian apprehend. It was a wonder where he gets all that Veritaserum, he keeps dosing his meals with. 

Hadrian was walking with Draco and his group in the dungeon corridors when he felt someone staring at him, 

“Harry” a blond Ravenclaw, judging by her robe colors, called him, confirming the source of his unease 

Hadrian stopped walking to look at her with suspicion. It was unnecessary really, considering the measures they took to conceal his previous life from the world, but one doesn’t live long by letting down their guard. “Do I know you?” 

She smiled at him airily shaking her head “No. But I know you,” 

Hadrian felt a chill traveling his spine 

for an unexplainable reason. She couldn’t, could she!? His Lord made sure that no one would recognize him! No spell potion or ritual could reveal his past!No one but his parents, his Lord and the goblin who was there for the ritual knew of his origin. Even uncle Lucius was obliveated by the Dark Lord before the blood ritual. 

“Excuse me.” Hadrian walked away from the Slytherins, who looked like they were about to protest but stopped upon seeing the dismissal on his face. Going with the Ravenclaw, who so rudely hung into his arm as they walked , they both stepped into an abandoned gloomy and dark classroom. 

“What do you want Miss,,” Hadrian trailed off allowing her to introduce herself and noticing that she stood barefoot. 

She smiled at him “I’m Luna Lovegood.” She picked her wand from behind her ear and twirled it around not caring at how he drew his own at her “Everyone calls me Loony but you can call me Luna if you like.” 

Hadrian stared for a moment not yet lowering his wand “and what do you want?” She was most peculiar with her radish earrings and Butterbeer cork necklace. 

“I’ve heard the Nargles plotting to ruin your plan of befriending Neville.” Her pale blue eyes stared straight through him “I think I could help you, and the Nargles won't notice because him and I are already friends.” 

Staring at her eyes reminds him of the blue haze in the eyes of the dead. Taking a deep breath Hadrian pulled away from her clinching his fist “Thank you for your concerns, but I can take care of myself.” Good observation skills could’ve got her to this conclusion, throwing around meaningless words doesn’t mean anything. 

She pouted at him extending her hand to hold his clinched one ”You’re going to be busy with the task, the king, and there is Rowena Ravenclaw’s diadem. ” 

Hadrian yanked his hand out of her grip and pointed his wand at her, ” How do you know of any of this?” 

Luna’s eyed the wand curiously, “I already told you,” her wide eyes focused on him “ the Nargles whispers are elusive to some, but I can hear them.” 

Hadrian pursed his lips and lowered his wand, shame and disappointment on his face “Did ** He **send you?” The Dark Lord trusts no one that’s true, but Hadrian hoped that he would trust his equal. 

“Not really, no, he didn’t” a slight frown interrupted her uncaring features “you don’t listen Harry, do you.” 

Hadrian’s eyebrows raised and his eyes widened at her “Alright.” blinking a few times he nodded “I’ll see if I need your help.” 

Her airily smile returned to her face “Alright, I think I’ll go have some pudding.” she turned around and skipped away on bare feet. 

Staring at her back Hadrian thought of how eerily alike she was to his mother. 

Hadrian casted the spell on the mirror to contact his Lord. There was no guarantee that he would be around any reflective surface and be able to answer him, but it is an urgent matter that cannot be delayed. 

The Dark Lord was sitting in his office penning a message to a foreign supporter of his. His regime was expanding before it even began, and his influence on the politicians of France and Bulgaria, while subtle, guaranteed that almost all of them were to become ministers in no time. 

The silver quill holder shimmered a bright golden color that Voldemort , upon noticing it, stood relocating to the large mirror atop the fireplace. 

"My Lord." Hadrian appeared kneeling on the floor and stood with his Lord's prompting, "I have encountered a Hogwarts student who appears to know of your plans,” Hadrian paused, swallowed, "of the tasks you'd given to me My Lord." 

The Dark Lord‘s face emptied from any expression, he had expected a flawless execution from Hadrian and not this. Whatever this was. While he wanted to rage and kill, he spoke calmly and with no hint of his bubbling anger or disappointment seeping through “Who is this student?" 

“Her name is Luna Lovegood. She is a Ravenclaw,” upon the Dark Lord's silence Hadrian elaborated "She referred to the diadem you tasked me with retrieving as well mentioning a king , which I’m certain she meant Iva with. Not only that, but she also offered her aid in swaying Longbottom to our side.'' 

The Dark Lord stared at the fire in silence. someone found out about his Horcruxes. About his most treasured friend whom he hadn’t seen in years. “Go to the clearing in the forbidden forest tonight and ask for Firenze. When you see him show him my mark and ask him if he knew of the girl,” crimson eyes blinked slowly in contemplation “if she turned out to be a seer, it would be advantageous to have her on our side" 

Hadrian nodded with a ‘yes My Lord’ , and at his Lord’s dismissal ended the spell. 

The wand weighing ceremony was a must when it came to the TriWizard tournament. That could’ve posed a significant problem when it came to Hadrian, who’s past self was presumed dead, the Dark Lord ;however, had insisted that Hadrian learn how to use not one ,but two wands, nothing but the best was expected of his equal. It was then that the Dark Lord Voldemort took it upon himself to locate Mykew Gregrovitch for the sole purpose of crafting a suitable wand for his equal, nothing but the best for him as well. 

The wand weighing ceremony employed the well known wand maker Ollivander who quite readily recited the components of the other champions wands and stared dumbfounded as he took in the making of Hadrian’s wand. 

“13” Black walnut with a dragon heartstring core,” he announced “I don’t member making such a wand, and I do remember each wand I make!” 

Hadrian stared at him blankly head tilted, in a way quite familiar yet fleeting to Dumbledore’s eyes, “That’s because it’s a Gregrovitch made wand.” Retrieving his wand Hadrian twirled it between his fingers in quite a similar fashion to his mother. “He’s undoubtedly the best wand maker there is. Quite a shame this one was the last of his.” Hadrian smiled with ice in his eyes at his godfather’s father, “My parents love to spoil me so.” 

Dumbledore pursed his lips unimpressed by the boy’s bravado. Seeing that they were done with the ceremony, they were all herald into the arms of a Daily Prophet journalist who went by the name Rita Skeeter. She obnoxiously took them one by one into the broom closet and seemed to show a personal interest in Hadrian. 

“Tell me Hadrian , I can call you Hadrian yes?” Without even giving him time to answer she breached his personal space and rained on him with questions “you are the heir to the Lestrange family. Quite frankly the Lord of it what with your father and uncle being fugitives, how do you feel about that?” 

Hadrian stared at the floating quill next to her and curtly answered her rude question “My father is Lord Lestrange and no law could change that, I would prefer if you ask me questions that are relevant to the tournament. “ 

Her eyes widened slightly and she straightened her back picking a non existent lint from her skirt “yes of course. You Hadrian have been chosen as the Durmstrang champion. You are the only underaged champion , how does that make you feel?” Her greedy eyes latched into every single expression he formed and so he opted to not fake any at all and become a blank emotionless statue 

“To wizards age shouldn’t be an obstacle. We ,the students who came for the tournament, were picked for our abilities, age didn’t factor in. Nor should it.” 

Leaning into him more she placed a hand on his knee, removing it as soon as it touched him, when she felt a chill at his gaze on her hand “ That is a very mature way of looking at things,” clearing her throat she leaned back in her chair “You must’ve noticed that despite how shocking your participation was to Hogwarts students, your fellow students showed only support to you.” Her eyes glimmered “Does that mean that you’ve been educated in the institute all your years? I must admit that your existence caused quite the ruckus. No one has ever heard of the former Black’s pregnancy.” She looked like a cat that got the canary , uncrossing and crossing her legs “Considering your parentage I think it safe to assume that they were not pleased by your participation. ” 

Hadrian stared at her with steel and smiled quite sharply “I’m sure that my parents are quite proud of my choosing as the champion.” 

Pursing her lips, her smirk disappearing, Skeeter looked annoyed at his insistence on not answering her questions. After all who wouldn’t love to read of the son of the well known Azkaban escapees! “If I may ask Hadrian what do you think of the stark resemblance of your name and the name of our late savior, magic bless his soul?” Thinking that this would surly anger him and loosen his tongue Skeeter asked. 

“There is nothing to think about. A name has an influence on it’s owner but that is the extent of it.” Straightening his back Hadrian thought of how his mother would fondly call his name, and could not think of another name to replace his. 

“That is a very mature attitude towards a name that your people must associate with nothing but loss.” Her smirk made Hadrian quite angry, not as much as what her charmed quill was writing “what do you think of the death of our savior Harry James Potter.” She asked in triumph 

“ just like everyone else I mourned the death of a child of magical blood,” he felt far away as he remembered how ruthless and heartless the muggles who raised him were “no magical child should’ve died in such a terrible way. Not when it could be easily avoided, but I guess that the one responsible for him is to blame” looking back at her and grimacing at the ‘with tears in his eyes’ written by her quill “I hope that was all, have a good day Ms. Skeeter.” 

Hadrian was just returning from his quest to the depth of the Forbidden Forest when he heard the whispering of who is undoubtedly Madam Maxime, who can bee seen standing next to Hagrid and staring as a far away group of people collectively casted a stunner at a fire breathing dragon. ‘The first task undoubtedly ‘ Hadrian thought as he made his way back to the ship silently unnoticed by the couple. 

Hadrian’s knowledge of what he was meant to face at the task meant he had ample time to not be awfully unprepared, so when he had to face the nesting Chinese fireball he wasn’t awfully concerned. 

Diggory the Hogwarts champion went first and succeeded, even with his face somewhat burnt by the Swedish short-snot, followed by Ms. Delacour who quite impressively enchanted the dragon sending it into a deep sleep and almost burnt her legs when it snorted fire, her quick reflexes saved her from any permanent damage but didn’t Salvage all of her points. Finally it was Hadrian’s turn and he cleared the task with grace and elegance. 

Hadrian used the Parselmagic his Lord taught him to pacify the dragon ensuring the safety of the real clutch and the nesting mother, all magical blood is precious and needlessly spilling it is a crime that his Lord made sure everyone knew the consequences of. There was no need for him to show off , his lord was not here so there’s no reason for taking more time than needed. Of course everyone gasped when they heard him hissing. Fear and outrage itched on their faces. ‘Cowards’ Hadrian thought as he considered his points carelessly before leaving the arena with the golden egg thinking that he really needed a long and calming bath. 

As Hadrian was heading to the perfect’s bath in Hogwarts for a long calming soak, a hare Patronus dashed through the halls, stopping before him as Luna’s quite voice ordered him to follow it. Following the spectral hare lead him to the black lake where two dark figures sat. Getting closer to them Hadrian recognized Luna’s blond hair and who undoubtedly was Neville Longbottom setting next to her. 

Taking a deep breath Hadrian put his public pleasant smile and his heir charm on and called for her. Both of them turned around and the difference in their reactions couldn’t have been starker. While Luna smiled at him with a soft “Hello Harry” and a tilt of her head, Neville’s eyes widened abnormally and color drained from his face making his skin look like ivory under the light of the moon. 

Turning to Neville, Luna introduced him “This is my friend Hadrian,” her soft voice unchanging “he helped me find my shoes when he nargels took them. I’m allowed to call him Harry but I don’t know if he would let you "she said quite seriously, or as serious as her soft voice and clear eyes would allow. 

Neville looked like he was about to be sick so Hadrian opted on not shaking his hand and settled for nodding with a light “My pleasure” and settling next to Luna. 

She hummed as Pluto slithered into her arms and wrapped around her forearm. “Congratulations on passing the first task.” she turned to Neville “Harry made sure that the mother or her eggs weren’t harmed.” frowning she continued “There must've been a lot of wraksputs to make them risk the eggs of these dragons!” 

Hadrian smiled at her, not looking at Neville who he could feel staring at him, “I think you're right.” 

“Did you open your egg yet?” She asked lightly 

Shaking his head Hadrian pulled the egg from his bag and twisted it open. The screeching made the three of them cover their ears and Hadrian hurried to close it back up. 

“_ thatsss _ _ Mermishh _” Pluto hissed from Luna’s sleeve. 

“_ What _!?” 

“_ In my life in _ _ Albania I met enough of _ _ Merss _ .” Pluto slithered into Hadrian’s neck _ “it’s what they _ _ ssound _ _ like above water. “ _

Hadrian nodded and, as if remembering just now, turned to Luna “If you don’t mind, It would be my honor if you accompany me to the ball.” 

Luna smiled and behind her Neville looked alarmed. He wonders if that’s because he wanted to ask her first or if it’s fear for his friend. “Of course Harry.” She turned to Neville “would you like to join us Neville?” 

He shook his head quickly “I’m going with Mione, so…” he trailed off eyeing Lestrange 

“Hermione Granger? She’s a bright witch. Congratulations.” His friendly smile and purposeful misunderstanding finally made Neville talk to him. 

“She is. She’s very kind too.” Fumbling with his sleeve he glanced quickly at Luna and settled his eyes back to Hadrian’s “it’s not like that though. We’re just friends. “ 

“Oh. I apologize for the misunderstanding then. “ Hadrian stood and dusted his robes “I’ve got to go now. Nice to finally meet you Neville. Luna have been talking about you a lot. ” Excusing himself Hadrian made his way back to the castle. Baby steps were necessary if he wanted Longbottom to warm up to him. 

Meanwhile, a certain Headmaster sat brooding in his office “ He must be Tom’s.” He unwrapped a lemon drop and popped it into his mouth “He has the resemblance to his father it’s true, but Tom was the last of Slytherin’s line and there’s no other way to explain to the boy’s ability. “ his mind wandered ‘How could he have missed such a vital fact, had he know of they boy’s existence he would’ve made sure to find and take him, he after all, could be the only one capable of taking on Tom after Harry’s death.’ Sighing Dumbledore stood pacing the room, a new plan brewing in his mind. 

Hadrian laid down in the perfect tub, access to it was granted to him by an eager Slytherin, carefully taking off the long black ribbon out of his hair and letting his lengthy curls free. The golden egg laid balanced on the edge of the bath as he soaked himself so that his hair formed a dark halo around the pale skin of his face. 

Hadrian was on the verge of dozing out before he sat suddenly with his wand at hand pointed at the figure in front of the door. 

“I made sure not to make a sound. How did you notice me?” The girl stopped and raised her hands in surrender to placate him. 

Hadrian made sure that he was facing her and that his back was hidden by the tub’s depth. Good thing his mother was not as ‘kind’ as the other parents when it came to training, his reflexes were quite extraordinary, you could only lose your limbs for so many times before learning your lesson. This girl ambushed him in his most venerable, how Slytherin of her. She was one of Draco’s year mates, Greengrass if his memory serves him. 

When he stared at her without answering she hummed and got closer, “I came to offer you an alliance with my family, Lestrange.” 

Hadrian blinked at her somewhat surprised though he really shouldn’t be. Remembering his father’s lessons, he politely refused “I’m not planning on finding a wife anytime soon Greengrass. My family is concerned with a great deal of things and marriage is not one of them at the moment. “ having given her his answer and wanting to relax he politely asked her to leave. 

Hadrian wasn’t rude to the females who were vying for his attention, despite his thoughts on the matter, there would be a time where he would need to provide an heir for his family and antagonizing the females around him would make picking a suitable candidate harder for him. It was his duty as the heir of his family to find a suitable alliance, but it was a duty that he disliked. 

Sighing his thoughts drifted off and into his much prominent duties, his Lord’s task for him. Befriending Longbottom proved harder than expected. Some obstacles were to be expected considering the past actions of his parents against the older Longbottoms. And so he was thankful for his progress, even when it was practically nonexistent. Hadrian sighed and immersed himself in the water. He didn’t want to disappoint his Lord, after all he had something to prove. 

“Oh Hadrian darling! You have a crush on our Lord!” His mother gushed strangling him in her hug 

“Mom!“ Hadrian rolled his eyes at his mother’s antics, the blush that got him into this place spreading wider and brighter on his face 

“Oh please, I can recognize it when I see it. Our family had its share of crushing on the Dark Lord. Isn’t that right Rod!” 

His father grunted affirmatively with a blush spreading on his face. 

“Crushing on the Dark Lord is practically a part of being under his tutelage,” Bellatrix assured “Honey, no need to be ashamed” she patted his head and went back to brushing his hair. “Oh I remember those days, when we would vie for his attention. One particular time I confronted him about it,” she sighed humorously “He made sure to gather all of us to inform us that we were children and he had no interest in children. Or anyone for that regard.“ 

“Not that it would’ve stopped you Bella” Rodolphus shook his head, remembering how disappointed they were and how she had only gotten more stubborn. 

“Of course not!” Bellatrix tied Hadrian’s hair and turned to her husband “Our Lord is to die for! Had I not fallen for you dear, I wouldn’t be deterred from my ambitions.” 

“They were some high ambitions darling don’t put these ideas in our son’s head.” Rodolphus shook his head fondly at his wife 

Hadrian got a bout of determination, even if he was somewhat disheartened by his Lord announcement. Ah well, he would have to prove that he is no longer a child and that he is unlike anyone, after all he was the Dark Lords equal. 

“Hadrian sweet, do not listen to your father. Do your best and I’ll support you!” Bellatrix clapped her hands excitedly grinning at her son’s shy smile 

Rodolphus rolled his eyes. He had known his son was as stubborn as his mother, but they were going into dangerous territory. Hopefully he wouldn’t be as depressed as they were after their Lords rejection. 

Hadrian pulled himself out of the water and grabbed the golden egg and dived back to hear of the next task. 

“Come seek us where our voices sound, 

We cannot sing above the ground, 

And while you're searching ponder this; 

We've taken what you'll sorely miss, 

An hour long you'll have to look, 

And to recover what we took, 

But past an hour, the prospect's black, 

Too late, it's gone, it won't come back.” 

Hadrian surfaced and got out of the tub with a sigh. What, or more precisely, who would they pick isn’t a question really. He didn’t befriend others from the institute, they all would stand for each other but they aren’t his friends. That leaves his cousin Draco, the only person he had shown a semblance of care for, and his beloved snake. He doubts that they would be have the guts to come after Pluto. 

Four days later Hadrian stood at the bottom of the spiral staircase of Ravenclaw’s tower waiting for his companion. Not taking too long Luna ascended the stairs wearing an unordinary metallic blue sleeveless multi-layered ruffle dress. 

“Hello Harry,” Luna greeted him linking their arms together “hello Pluto.” 

“Hello Luna,” he smiled, she’s quite an eccentric person and he enjoyed her company “maybe call me by my name today. My full name. “ 

“But calling you Hadrian Lestrange would take a lot of time, what if I needed your immediate attention.” Guiding him to the Gryffindor entrance she then exclaimed with her quite voice “I’ll just have to call you Hadrian then.” 

Hadrian smiled at her “ thank you Luna. “ 

They stopped by Neville who was accompanied by Hermione. Seeing her made Hadrian ache but only in the way he does when he sees the old album of his past parents ,fleeting and quickly discarded. Neville introduced them and Hermione was obviously skeptical of him, not that he minded it really. 

As they walked to the ballroom Luna and Hadrian talking, with Neville sharing his thoughts whenever he felt like it, Hermione felt left out and decided to join somehow “ Nice necklace.” She said the first thing on her mind which might have been a mistake because Luna stopped talking and turned to face her with an airy smile 

“Thank you Hermione. It’s a charm actually, keeps away the Nargles.” 

“Nargles?” 

“Yes. They’re terribly mischievous creatures and are quite the little thieves.” Patting the hem of her dress Luna explained 

Blinking at Her Hermione thought to correct her delusions only to be interrupted by Lestrange, who looks quite taken by the idea “you haven’t told me of this charm Luna!” Maybe he’s less of a Malfoy and more of Crabbe or Goyle, Hermione thought, believing such obvious lies. 

“It’s alright Hadrian, I can make you one if you’d like.” 

“I’d like one too. Please. “ Neville quipped in shyly, and Luna turned to him with a smile and a nod. 

Hermione stared silently with her lips pursed, they were mad. The three of them. She just hoped that it wasn’t a contagious madness. 

They reached the doors and split to be there with the other champions. As they entered, all eyes were on the odd couple. No one had expected Hadrian to actually show up with someone and definitely not with a Hogwarts student that isn’t a Slytherin. 

After the opening dance Hadrian met the eyes of his cousin across the room and shook his head subtly, he was to spend this day getting friendly with Longbottom and it’s unlikely that he would be as free if Draco and the youngest Greengrass were there. 

On the day of the second task everyone gathered around the black lake. Hadrian petted Pluto as he looked around, and spotted Draco. He wasn’t awfully surprised, he had been spending his time since yule with Luna and Neville. At the thought of him the boy seemed to materialize to him asking about Luna since she’s been missing the whole morning. 

“I think she’s the one I’m supposed to be pulling from the lake.” 

Neville paled a several shades, nodded and fidgeted for a moment before pulling out a small green bottle and handed it to him “this is gellyweed. It’s a magical plant that helps you breathe and move underwater. “ his eyes darted from the bottle to Hadrian and back 

Taking the small bottle Hadrian smiled at him “ I’ll bring Luna back safe.” 

Neville nodded and tried a smile “I don’t think she’s in danger, the merpeople love her.” 

“That’s Luna,” Hadrian patted Neville’s forearm before pulling away at the announcement of the task’s beginning. “Thanks Longbottom.” 

“You can call me Neville,” he hesitantly offered “if you like.” 

“Of course! Thanks Neville. “ 

Every champion got themselves ready and perched at the edge of the wooden bridge and on the mark, jumped one after the other. Despite not needing it Hadrian used the gellyweed, and he dived deep with the guidance of a point me to retrieve Luna from the bottom of the lake. 

It was quite an interesting if easy task. Hadrian saw a lot of magnificent creatures that he had only seen in a classroom and in a controlled environment. The magnificent architecture of the merpeople’s colony, the vicious troops of Grindylows with their grabby brittle fingers ,and the magnificent green life under made Hadrian wish that his Lord had seized Hogwarts long ago, for he would surly allow him to explore the lake to his leisure. 

Finding the three ‘sorely missed’ Hadrian decided that there was no time for him to spend admiring the lake and swam to his goal. Finding Diggory, the Hogwarts champion, staring at Luna, his fellow Hogwarts student, in distress was quite amusing and Hadrian wasted no more time as he freed her with a wandless cutting hex and pulled her on his back making their way to the surface. It was pathetic how Hogwart’s champion compromised his win due to his moral ideals. He’d probably call it honor, Hadrian thought, humorous really, since honor is nothing but a cowards tool. 

When he surfaced with his target the judges announced him first. Carrying Luna away from the wooden bridge, Hadrian placed her on the empty seats of the stadium, the ones closest to him. He woke her up and cast several charms on her to dry and warm her from the chill of February. Longbottom appeared next to him and congratulated him on being in first place. 

Hadrian smiled at him with thanks and as if he remembered grasped his hand “Neville you wouldn’t believe what I’d seen in the lake!” Neville looked spooked at the sudden contact but made no move to detach himself and so Hadrian went on “there were so many magical creatures in there! You would’ve loved it! I recognized a lot of the plants that were in Hadrian Whittles’s book about Mediterranean water-plants!” 

Just as he expected his excitement was contagious to Neville who seemed to fire up at the mention his favorite subject, he was quite talkative when it came to it and he’d found an attentive listener in Hadrian. Time went by and while Hadrian outwardly seemed engulfed in Neville’s talk ,quipping in even, he was getting impatient with how long the champions were taking. Hogwarts champion at least should’ve arrived long ago. Luna didn’t look any less carefree so he didn’t worry, but he was getting bored. 

When they finally emerged it turned out that Hogwarts champion was trying to save the other hostage who was the Beauxbaton champion’s sister. Apparently Ms. Delacour had been apprehended by the Grindylows and when she’d finally freed herself and reached the mer village it was empty and her beloved sister was nowhere to be found, Diggory had saved her along with his target despite getting chased by all the mers of the lake. 

It mattered not to Hadrian. It didn’t matter that they gave him extra points for his ‘’moral fiber’ nor that every student chanted his name or that the daily prophet was making a fuss about it. What mattered was making sure that Neville Longbottom doesn’t get ideas about saving people and being a hero. Hadrian stared at Neville and then decidedly pulled him aside “I’m taking Luna to the Infirmary, she looks pale and I want to make sure she’s alright.” His soft voice and worried eyes caught Neville’s attention and made him worried too. 

“I’ll come with you.” Helping Luna up the trio headed to the Durmstrang ship and away from the noisy crowds. 

The time between the second task and the last passed swimmingly. Well, except when Ron Weasley decided to taunt Hadrian and get him to hang with the other ‘slimy Slytherins like himself’ and got ambushed by Pluto for his rudeness. On the down of day of the last task, Hadrian snuck under the invisibility cloak from the ship and into Hogwarts. 

With the shadows as his ally he easily avoided the patrolling perfects and located the Giant tapestry of the tutu clad trolls. Hadrian walked past it three times thinking of Ravenclaw’s Diadem and entered through the door that appeared. 

Locating the Diadem was not a difficult mission, for despite all the scattered trinkets, there was only one direction that made the mark on Hadrian’s back throb as it was. His lord informed him that there were no precautions in place for he had no time to do so, nor a reason to believe that anyone would be able to locate the room. 

Grabbing the discolored diadem Hadrian had a strange impulse to put it on. Knowing that there were no curses on the diadem and being very well aquatinted with his lord’s magical signature he didn’t resist. 

Putting on the diadem he was suddenly transported into a dark forest with the full moon as the only light source. It didn’t feel like an apparation and his surroundings were washed out in gray. 

Feeling something behind him Hadrian pulled out his wand and turned abruptly to level his wand on the intruder, only to kneel in supplication “My Lord!” 

A twenty years old Tom Riddle looked at the kneeling form before him with absolute dispassion. “And who might you be.” His head tilted as he asked moving closer to The boy and grabbing his chin to look at his face. 

With a fierce blush on his face at the proximity, Hadrian introduced himself “I’m Hadrian Lestrange, My Lord.” Gulping as he stared at the intense crimson eyes “The son of your most faithful, Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange.” 

The Dark Lord smirked at the boy’s blush and let his chin go in favor of holding his forearm “My my, have I started recruiting children who have yet to graduate Hogwarts into my ranks.” Raising the fabric of the robe he found no trace of his mark 

Hadrian’s eyes widened for he didn’t expect to have to prove himself to his lord “No My Lord,” He gulped at the hand caressing the skin where his mark used to be “I’m the only one whom you have marked who is yet to be of age.” Carefully extracting his arm from his lord’s hand he took off his robes and shirt to expose his back to his lord’s eyes. 

The Dark Lord looked quite amused at the dark mark on the skin of Hadrian’s back the snake slithering along his spine. “Recruiting a mere bed warmer then...” 

Disdain was clear on his face and Hadrian looked stricken “No My Lord,” His voice was steely and devoid of the shame he was feeling. His lord had always been sure of his ability even when they were dueling and he stood without an arm or a foot, sometimes even both. _ “I’ve been trained personally by you My Lord.” _

The Dark Lord blinked at the usage of Parseltongue_ “you’re a speaker....” _

Hadrian nodded _ “I’m your Horcrux as well _ _ My Lord _ _ . “ _

Voldemort stared at him silently and gestured for him to stand and put his clothing back on _ “What has brought you here then.” _

“My Lord has sent me to retrieve the diadem, free Iva and kill Dumbledore.” Standing up he continued “I’ve portkyed Iva back to the Slytherin manor already, and I had planned on taking Dumbledore out after retrieving the diadem. “ 

Tom Riddle stared at Hadrian in contemplation, he trusted himself the most and if he entrusted this boy with such a vital task, then he must be worthy of it “And how are you going to go about it?” 

Hadrian pursed his lips “I’ve been working all year long at befriending well known children of the light. Dumbledore won’t doubt it if I came to him seeking shelter and claiming a desire for redemption.” 

Tom Riddle stared at him passively before a smirk spread on his face “Simply fascinating, you do make a good vessel for our soul. I do find the idea of having a hand in taking out Albus Dumbledore appealing, so you will have to make a slight adjustment in your plan.” His ominous smile made Hadrian nervous and anticipatory. 

“Headmaster Dumbledore I need your help” Hadrian pleaded, his red rimmed eyes overflowing with tears 

The old headmaster couldn’t very well resist the cries of an adolescence seeking his help could he. And so, giving the password for the gargoyles to jump off the way he welcomed the boy into his office. “Get in my boy, get in.” 

Taking the offered tissue Hadrian wiped his tears and avoided Dumbledore's eyes as he explained “Mother and father are obsessed with the resurrection of the Dark Lord.” Ever since they heard of the tournament, they’ve been training me day and night to get in” he sniffled pathetically “They do not care for what I wish! They say I must support him, and I don’t want to support someone who enjoys murder and mayhem!” he hiccupped and stopped talking for a moment. 

Dumbledore stared at the boy with well-hidden surprise, only showing his compassion and empathy. It looked like his job was cut out for him. The boy wanted to join the light already! 

“I know that you’re not responsible for someone other than your students, but I’ve come to you today, not for the headmaster of Hogwarts, but for the leader of the light. The only one brave enough to face the Dark Lord” Hadrian looked at him fiercely, while he was playing the role of a scorned son, he was in no way a shivering sniveling child. Over playing it would endanger the plan “I have been kept away from everyone with only the house elves and a single maid for company. Ever since my parents got out of Azkaban they’ve been obsessed and all they care about is resurrecting the Dark Lord. “ 

“These marks I’ve got from training. My mother would make me duel for days on end sometimes absent an arm or a foot. She said that I had to make our lord proud.” Hadrian continued, standing away from the table as he bared his arm to show the marks he had from his training. It was true what he said, but he didn’t resent his lord or his parents these marks. They served as a mark of his loyalty to his lord and of his mother’s love for him. 

“I’m tired, and scared, and I don’t want to live in fear anymore Headmaster” it was that, that finally got Dumbledore to leave his table distracted from his wand remaining on it in his desire to calm and console Hadrian. 

“It’s alright Hadrian, you are safe here. You don’t have to follow him anymore. You have made the right decision.” he said in his grandfatherly voice, and Hadrian could’ve been convinced had he not known better 

“I Have?” Hadrian asked hopefully. Not allowing Dumbledore to confirm it Hadrian pulled out a satchel from his robe pockets “When it was decided that I was to come here I’ve been tasked with retrieving something of the Dark Lord’s. They said it was vital in his resurrection ritual.” Hadrian pulled out the diadem and pushed it into Dumbledore's arms. 

Dumbledore's eyes widened and he gasped as his hand began to blacken and rot. He pushed Hadrian away and turned for his wand that was suddenly flying, not towards him but towards Hadrian. He gasped coughing as he had no way of stopping the curse “What have you done!” his eyes darted from the boy who was twirling the elder wand and into the portraits in the room. To his shock, they were all frozen in their frames. 

Silver eyed bled into crimson as the young Dark Lord took over “We meet again Dumbledore. “ 

Gasping Dumbledore fell to his knees “Tom! I shouldn’t have trusted your spawn “he tried to stand, but his knees could no longer carry him 

Smirking as he twirled the wand in his hand he mocked “He is no spawn of mine,” he summoned the diadem and put it on watching the curse eat out the old man alive “he is however mine, and I’m to feed on his magic as much as I wish just as We fed on the main soul’s magic once.” licking his lips the dark lord crouched in front of his collapsed form and red eyes became silver once more. Except they weren't fully silver as had thought, no, they were threaded with a bright emerald green that he’d seen only on two people before 

Smiling Hadrian tilted his head “Good bye headmaster. Say hi to Lily and James Potter for me if you happen upon them.” 

It seemed that that was the last straw for Dumbledore, for fell into a heap, his lifeless body unmoving. As he stared at the corpse of his Lord’s enemy, Hadrian couldn’t keep up his nonchalant attitude. Joy exploded in his chest, sharp enough to hurt. Face splitting into a wide smile with a laugh bubbling up from his throat. He's so giddy with relief and delight that for a moment he cannot stand collapsing against the side of the desk clutching the elder wand tightly to his chest. He did everything his lord asked of him! He killed Dumbledore and he was going to present his lord with his wand soon! He closed his eyes and a blush spread on his face as he felt his young Lord’s amusement. 

Showing up for the final task to witness the ruckus at the judges table due to Dumbledore’s absence, Hadrian took his place at the opening of the maze assured of Karakroff’s ability to handle things and start the task. He wouldn’t wish to displease the Dark Lord after all. 

After a thorough search of the castle welded no results, what with the body residing deep in the chamber, Minerva McGonagall was appointed in Dumbledore’s place. 

Announcing the order in which they were to go with Hadrian first, Hogwarts champion second and the Beauxbatons champion last. Bagman announced the beginning of the task “Oh, find the cup, if you can, but be careful. You might just lose yourself along the way.” 

Hadrian passed through the obstacles with ease, decimating all the creatures in his way to the cup and ignoring the screams and sounds of combat around him. He had a goal and those champions got in the tournament knowing fully what they were getting themselves into. 

When Hadrian’s hand grasped the handle of the cup he was teleported outside the maze. All the Durmstrang students were screaming in delight at the victory before everyone else joined them for a whole different reason. 

Hadrian not only had the portkey his lord gave him to get the death eaters past the wards of Hogwarts, but also the portkey his Lord’s Horcrux made to display Dumbledore’s body for all of the attendance to witness. 

The Dark Lord stood in front of Hadrian with his inner circle surrounding him. The projections that were on the winner, now displayeing the Dark Lord in all of his glory for everyone to see. 

Bellatrix jumped on her son to ingulf him in a suffocating embrace, maybe had Hadrian a normal childhood he would’ve felt embarrassed by the public affection his mother was showering him with but he didn’t, and so he embraced his mother just as tightly. 

“Well done Hadrian.” The Dark Lord’s voice interrupted their reunion. 

Hadrian left his mother’s embrace to kneel before his Lord “I only wish to please you My Lord.” 

Voldemort turned back to the terrified audience, who only stayed in place in fear of the death eaters surrounding them, and smiled pleased “Dear Hogwarts is now under my rule.” He announced with a smile 

Shocked gasps spread through the students and some of them even tried to foolishly intervene, only to be stunned to drop where they stood by a nearby death eater. 

” My rule shall extend to all of Britain soon enough.” He continued, eyes scanning the audience with their different reactions “Those who do not oppose me will be there to see the return of magic’s glory under my rule. I do not ask of you anything but your submission. Oppose me and death would be a but paltry relief compared to what I would have in store for you.” 

Scanning the silent crowd once more Lord Voldemort turned to Severus Snape and gestured for him to do the job he was assigned. Turning around the Dark lord went to the castle to adjust the wards to allow him apparation in and out of it. 

When everything was said and done the inner circle gathered at their lord’s manor celebrating the seizure of Hogwarts. 

They were all seated in the throne room laughing loudly at how no one seems to be able to separate Bellatrix from her son, or shut her up from bragging either. 

“My little Harry killed Dumbledore,” she grinned at them with maniac delight “did one of your kids do anything even close to that?” She giggled as she turned to taunt them “I don’t think so~” 

Rabastan laughed at her “Bella calm down.” Shaking his head “You’re getting too worked out about it.” 

Bella stood affronted “Of course I would be excited! My little Harry is a big boy now!” 

“Do you mean to say that Hadrian’s first kill was Dumbledore!” Lucius asked dumbfounded 

“Of course not, ” Rodolphus interrupted, rolling his eyes as he sipped his wine “no Lestrange would pass their fourteenth birthday without killing someone.” 

“Oh yes, and it was a gift from the Dark Lord too!” Continued Bellatrix proudly smiling at their lord’s direction 

The dark lord nodded absently acknowledging her and turned his eyes away from them and back to the conversation going between Nagini and Pluto.

Seeing that his lord was occupied Hadrian pulled on the hem of his mother’s dress, so that she would sit down. When she was snuggled up to him, he murmured “Dumbledore thought that I was the dark lord’s child!” 

“Oh!” Bellatrix giggled mischievously, trying her best to lower her voice and not quite making it “Did that make you angry darling.“ 

“It made me livid.” Hadrian pouted “I hate it when people assume that because you’re the dark lord’s most faithful you would be unfaithful to my father.” his eyebrows were frowned and his nose crunched in that adorable way it does when he feels unconvinced by something. 

“Oh darling you’re so sweet, but I don’t think that's the only reason, “she teased him, her hand easing away the frown 

“Mom!” he exclaimed embarrassed, which drew the attention of everyone in the room. His father rolled his eyes at the two of them and chuckled when Hadrian glared at the others to mind their own business. 

“What! It’s true. I know you really were angry for me, but I also know that the thought of being the dark lord’s son angers you” she smiled at him, untying his hair to bother him more 

“Well I don’t want to be his son!” Hadrian sighed. Torn apart between wanting to shake away her hand from his hair, and missing her hands braiding it. 

“I know darling, you want to be something else” she whispered in his ear as she tied up the braid. 

“Mom. please stop it! the Dark Lord is right there!” He whispered sharply pulling her robes as she cackled maniacally 

The Dark Lord was listening to them as he sipped on his wine glass. Sighing he stood and gestured for Hadrian to follow him. Everyone stopped what they were doing as they watched the Lestrange heir move away from his mother and follow the Dark Lord. 

The Dark Lord sat on his chair staring at Hadrian’s kneeling form before him “Well done on returning Iva to me and getting rid of the old fool,” he praised nonchalantly “the real question however is, have you retrieved my Horcrux?” 

Hadrian nodded his affirmation before he took out the satchel from his robes pocket and pulled the diadem from it, presenting it to his lord. 

“I’ll admit I was... skeptical, of your ability to actually kill Dumbledore, you’ve proved yourself again as my equal Hadrian.” He praised gesturing for him to take a seat on the chair by the desk 

Hadrian shifted his weight starting to fiddle with the hem of his robe sleeve, which of course didn’t pass unnoticed by his lord for he had discouraged him from it numerous times. 

“Out with it Hadrian,” the Dark Lord drawled his crimson eyes slitted in impatience. 

“It was not wholly my work My Lord.” Hadrian bit his lips and immediately stopped, remembering his father’s training. Taking a deep breath he explained what the Horcrux did “I didn’t dare disobey him My Lord, as you’re the same person. I did disarm Dumbledore and bring you his wand as you asked though!” 

Humming the Dark Lord caressed the diadem for a second before pulling his wand and leveling it at Hadrian. When he showed no other reaction than offering his neck the Dark Lord pointed the wand at his other Horcrux.” Ad hoc a priori ad infinitum.” A bright red color emerged from the wand and got absorbed by the diadem resulting in a corporal form of the twenty years old Dark Lord who looked at himself bemusedly. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It took me forever to write this because my writing spirit is elusive*sigh*. 
> 
> I took a lot of time to edit this and I did try my best to edit it into it's best potential so... 
> 
> Oh and I’m not a native English speaker so any mistakes might be a result of that.
> 
> PS. The story is up for grabs if you would like


	2. The Black Sheep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hadrian Cygnus Lestrange stood in front of the huge manor of his ancestors, Number Twelve Grimmauld Place, his mother informed him. The past months had been the busiest for them. He was here to make sure that his name was on the tapestry, like any other Black

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to the encouragement from everyone, I’ve finally finished with a second chapter. 
> 
> Enjoy!

Hadrian Cygnus Lestrange stood in front of the huge manor of his ancestors, Number Twelve Grimmauld Place. 

The past months had been the busiest for them. His Lord had prevailed and got the ministry under his rule, making him the supreme ruler of The United Kingdom.

It could be felt in the air how magic flowed after the performance of Samhain. The public feared the changes and were aghast when the law demanded each and every person to participate in the rituals. Their fears quickly dispersed, however, when they got to meet with their late loved ones during the public Samhain ritual. People were sentimental and the Dark Lord knew how to use that to his advantage. 

His Lord had offered him the chance to meet with his late parents, but Hadrian had refused. There was nothing to connect him to them other than the simple album Hagrid offered him when he was an impressionable child. Not to mention that he had no interest in being judged by parents who put their alliance to Dumbledore above their concern for their only child’s life. 

After Samhain, the Dark Lord gained the favor of the public. His charming appearance got him a fleet of devoted followers who hung onto his every word, his personality was even more charming, making the public forget all about the lost lives of the first war.

Voldemort appeased the public even more when he announced the annual memorial in Harry Potter’s name. He appeared before all those who had gathered and expressed his sadness at the passing of a magical youth, in an event that could be avoided no less, and promised to look into the circumstances that allowed such a thing to happen.

A month later the papers were filled with reports of the abuse he suffered under the hands of his muggle family along with other ignored cases of abuse several muggleborns suffered. Those responsible, specifically one Arabella Fig, were prosecuted. The month after that the Dark Lord passed the bill banning any contact with the muggles. All Muggleborns were to be removed from their houses upon birth and into the institution built especially for that purpose. The bill caused a protest lead by one Hermione Granger and most of the protesters were placated when they saw the monument for Harry Potter built in the courtyard of the institution. All the rest of the protesters were soon seen as sympathizers with the abusive Muggles.

Hadrian and his parents came to the black manor seeking the black tapestry and allowing Hadrian access to the infamous black library after he had exhausted the library in their Bulgarian manor.

They entered the manor and were greeted by a screeching portrait who stopped within a millisecond of seeing them and exclaimed “Bellatrix!” 

Bellatrix cackled and pushed her son in front of her “Aunt Walbugra!” A wicked grin on her face “Still screaming from beyond the grave.” Proudly she presented him holding both of his shoulders “This is my son. Hadrian Cygnus Lestrange.” Her proud maniac smile couldn’t be budged from her face and it got even prouder at the positive appraisal her aunt lavished Hadrian with. 

“Such prominent black features, he’s more a black than he is a Lestrange.” Rodolphus grumbled under his breath “And you kept with the naming tradition. How old is he?” The old lady in the portrait asked

“He’s fifteen,” at the unimpressed raised eyebrow she added “and he’s already got the Dark Lord’s mark and have been specially trained by him!” Her chest was puffed in pride, no Black had achieved what her son had. Even she, who had been trained by the Dark Lord, had to wait until she was of age to take his mark.

“Thank Magic. The Black name is not lost,” shaking her head and sighing “your idiotic cousin have returned here years ago and haven’t been doing anything other than mope around and drink over his dead godson.” rolling her eyes her voice gained volume gradually “He refused to listen to me when I ordered him to get a wife and continue the line! I don’t believe someone died and made him Lord.”

Bellatrix raised her eyebrows at her aunt, as if Sirius would listen to anything, she says to him. Sighing she waved a hand for the curtains to fall obscuring the portrait. Ignoring the muffled sounds, she pulled her Son and her husband deeper into the house, where a small and wrinkly looking house elf stood grasping at his ears and pulling at them. 

“Huh” Hadrian stared at the hanged heads of multiple house elves, he knew his family was eccentric; however, he didn’t imagine such an intriguing choice of decoration. 

Bellatrix let go of them to focus on the elf “Kreature “

“Yes mistress.” The elf shrunk into himself in an effort to become as small as possible

With her body angled downwards and hands on her hips she asked, “Where is my good for nothing cousin?” 

“He is in his room mistress.” kreature stared wide eyed 

“Clean up the manor,” she ordered straightening up and pushing off dust off her skirt “my husband and I are staying for a while.” Patting Hadrian’s head she threatened “And do remember to prepare the best room for my precious Harry.”

The elf’s eyes darted quickly, frantically nodding before he popped away. Hadrian stared for a second before he turned to his mother “I’m going to look for the library mother.”

Bellatrix waved him away and took her husband’s hand in an exploration mission. She didn’t worry about her son since the library only showed itself to those of black blood.

Hadrian walked around the dark and moist manor, acquainting himself with the new environment. It was expected that the stone walls were covered in moss and dirt, the house had been empty for almost twenty years, not counting his mother’s cousin since his presence had no effect on the state of the manor. Upon seeing the library entrance Hadrian walked faster and flung its door open. 

Inhaling sharply Hadrian’s wide eyes skimmed the walls with obvious enthusiasm. There must be a book or a spell here that would impress his Lord and he was going to find it. The longer he walked between the bookcases the more excited he became, and when he saw the Parselscript on the cover of a book that appeared to be one of many, his hunger along with any other human need disappeared. Consuming the knowledge between those age-old pages became the only thing he could think of. Sighing in reluctance Hadrian left the library to seek his parents, if he was not going to eat dinner with them, he must tell them beforehand or his mother would be very cross with him.

Following the faint familiar magical signature of his parents, just as he learned from his Lord, Hadrian located them easily. “Mother…” Hadrian stopped at the threshold and stared as his mother was talking to a black grim.

“Oh, Harry Darling you’re done already?” She turned to him in surprise as she hadn’t expected to see him any time before dinner.

Before Hadrian could answer his mother the grim changed shape into a man in rags. Hair in disarray and eyes gleaming with a decidedly deranged spark. The man jumped at Hadrian and engulfed him in a hug, completely ignoring Hadrian’s wand which was stabbing him in the stomach.

“Harry!? You’re alive!” His spindly grimy fingers constricted in the back of Hadrian’s robes “I can’t believe it. You’re alive.” He sobbed pathetically into the front of the robes effectively dirtying them from both sides

“Mother?” eyes leaving the shivering man Hadrian questioned

The man lifted his head and glanced quickly at steel eyes before pulling back and wrapping himself in a search for comfort “you’re not Harry.” Biting his lips and pulling on his dirty shaggy hair the man repeated “you’re not James and Lily’s son.”

His voice lost all of its previous liveliness and was reduced to mere words scraping their way through his throat in an effort to leave

“No, I’m not,” frowning he flipped his wand back into its holster and stepped away from the man whom he assumed was his mother’s cousin “I’m the son of Rodolphus and Bellatrix Lestrange.” He said proudly with his chin raise

Looking him over and then turning around Sirius stared pointedly at his cousin’s stomach “I thought you…” he trailed off and his once again empty eyes dropped to the floor, followed soon by his knees.

Bellatrix studied him silently. The Black Madness is sinking its claws in him, and he reminded her of herself. She would’ve ended like him if not for her Lord. 

He was crazy, deranged. Not dangerous, no, not yet. Dogs only bite when provoked. He has been a supporter of the dead leader of the light that’s true, but all she could see in him was potential. He was a fragile husk of the man she once knew to be her cousin and if she played her cards right…

Kneeling down next to him she removed his wild hair from his face “I’m sorry for your loss Siri,” She petted his hair in sympathy “you need to understand that what happened was not your fault. It was Dumbledore’s” her voice dropped in sympathy, trying to mask the high pitch of her voice “He was supposed to look after that kid, but he let him down. He let you down.”

Siri looked up at her and she could see her words planted and quickly taking root. He may have admired the man, but those with a heavy guilt would latch into anything that frees them of the mountain weight of it. She just needs a little bit of… “I’m sure if you were the one responsible for him no harm would’ve touched him.” Grasping his dirty scarped fingers in her own clean rough ones she whispered, “I know that because I too would do anything to protect my darling Harry.” turning to her son she summoned him to her side with a look 

“But,”

“Sirius. When I saw Harry, I knew that I would do anything for him, and I know you felt the same.“ While Hadrian took the color of their eyes it still contained shards of Avada green that would shine brightly in the dark as if reflected off steel. Using that to her advantage she grabbed Sirius’s chin and turned him to stare directly at her son’s wide eyes. “You could do it once more if you want. Make it right this time. I can make you his godfather.”

Entrapped in the emerald green that reminded him of his dead friend and her son. Her beautiful son who died because of Dumbledore. The familiar pale gray he saw in his late younger brother’s eyes. Sirius’s eyes started overflowing with tears “yes please,” he turned to her and clung to her skirt “please. Let me atone for my mistakes”

Frowning outwardly and smirking inwardly, the Slytherin nodded and wiped away the tears that were making their way down his dirty face, he was in need of a kind touch and if she were the one to provide him with it he would become a fiddle for her to play with as she wishes. “Of course.” she whispered benevolently.

He looked at her hopefully with tear filled glittering eyes “Thank you. Thank you!”

She pulled away from him which made his eyes darken and the tears flow freely “you are family Sirius, but that doesn’t change the fact that you used to be an enemy. My son is as devoted to our Lord as I, and I will not allow you near him when you could harm him at any moment.”

Sirius’s face crumpled. He looked distraught and conflicted. Leaving him to stow in the silence she stared at her sons calculating eyes and nodded.

“But mother,” Hadrian stepped towards him, voice pitched low subtlety placating, purposefully soft “Maybe there’s a way around that. I’m sure he would not be against an unbreakable vow, he wishes to be my godfather as much as I wish for him to be mine,” turning to Sirius he tilted his head “do you not?”

Scrambling off the floor Sirius nodded vehemently “yes! Yes, I do. Anything.” Eyes darting between his cousin, her husband and his to be godson he pleaded “I’ll say whatever you wish. Please let me.”

The Slytherins in the room stared at their poor relative who had been stretched thin by his stay in Azkaban and later by the death of his charge that he became so susceptible to such light-handed manipulation.

Hadrian’s plan to sequester himself within the black library was null once his mother informed him of her plan while her cousin took a much-needed bath. They were to gather in the dining hall for supper and he was to spend some bounding time with his new godfather.

His godfather was… interesting for a lack of a better word. Interacting with him felt as if looking at the scattered pieces of a jigsaw puzzle only that its colors were washed out with age. He could glimpse juvenile enthusiasm and morbid humor under his deranged demeanor, which he tried quite admirably to hide. Maybe that’s due to his years in Azkaban and maybe it’s just that the black madness had gotten the best of him. Either ways it would show in time, the Black Madness did have its advantages after all.

Hadrian introduced Pluto, who had _finally_ deigned to come into the manor, to his new godfather. The man was not terribly rude and didn’t seem frightened when Pluto slithered up the table and onto him. His reaction to Hadrian’s Parseltoung was surprised and wary but quickly dispelled in favor of praising him on such an ancient if dark ability. It was clear that he craved connection.

After a week of dinners and free time spent bounding with Sirius, Hadrian had set his foot down on having to indulge his godfather anymore. It was true that he liked quidditch and chess and his godfather made a competent playmate, but there was only so much time that he could waste on such childish activities that would have no positive outcome on his Lord’s regimen.

It was then that the dreams started. Hadrian kept having those persistent dreams. He would wake panting, breathing harshly and drenched in sweat. All he could recall from those dreams were intense eyes, color as deep as freshly spelt blood and a darkness that was as suffocating as exhilarating.

Such was the case this night. Hadrian woke up with a start, blood near boiling and with the bedsheets clinging to his skin. His long hair had slipped from the ribbon it had been tied into and tangled, stuck on his face, neck, and the pillows.

Sitting up, Hadrian pressed his hands into his eyes and exhaled sharply. His dreams were distressing. Not for their nature, but for the identity of the one starring in them, he shouldn’t be surprised really. It stands to reason that his Lord would be the only one on his mind. However, day after day he felt the guilt like ice sliding through his boiling blood. It was unbecoming, sacrilegious.

Untangling his hair and putting it up once more Hadrian got his feet off the four-poster bed and spelled the sheets clean and organized. Glancing at Pluto showed how deep in sleep he was and so he trekked alone to the library.

It was on dinner one day that Bellatrix noticed how her son seemed quite out of it. With a glance at her husband she found that, he too, was staring at Harry with contemplation.

“Harry darling what’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Hadrian murmured as he speared the meat on his fork and bit into it

“I don’t think it’s nothing,” she tilted her head biting her lips in contemplation

Swallowing softly Hadrian considered telling his mother, she wouldn’t be outraged, she would probably be proud and encourage him. Yet, all he could think of is that those dreams were his and his alone, no one was to know about them except his Lord. Judgment or not. “I’ve yet to find anything to gift the Dark Lord.”

Sirius scoffed and rolled his eyes but quickly averted his eyes when Bellatrix stared dagger at him “Oh darling, no need to worry you’ll find something “

“All the books that I’ve found so far has been taught to me by the Dark Lord. There’s nothing that he doesn’t know of!”

“It’s because father had been his friend.” Sirius said voice falling into a murmur under the three pairs of attentive eyes

Blinking rapidly Hadrian absorbed this new information. Friend implies a strong enough relationship that even Sirius the Light Sheep of the family had noticed. “They were?”

Sirius played with the food in his plate, sullenly elaborating “when I was young, really young. He would come and sit with father and they spend a lot of time talking to one another. It’s not surprising that he knows what is in the library. “

Hadrian nodded along head tilted and lips pursed. Orion Black was a prominent if silent supporter of his Lord, so it stands to reason that he’d thought of what Hadrian himself attempted. Sighing Hadrian nodded going back to his food, glad for the new information and for dodging his mother’s question.

“Harry darling,” Bellatrix sought his eyes and met them with a glint “it has been enough time for you away from training.” Her hands held his smaller ones and traced the white marks on his wrist with her fingers “It is time you get back to it. “

Hadrian nodded his affirmation; it may help take his mind off the depraved dreams that had been wracking his mind.

“Spectacular,” her free hand rested on his cheek and she smiled when he nestled into her palm “Your father will train you this time.”

After dinner Sirius insisted on going with him into the training room to observe his training. And observe he did. Sirius seemed on edge each time Hadrian was injured and had, surprisingly better than expected, flinched so badly when Hadrian’s arm went flying away from his body. Hadrian went on as if nothing was wrong, quickly casting a spell to stop the bleeding and counter his father’s attack.

Sitting alone in the library Hadrian contemplated, how Luna had expertly maneuvered Neville into following her deep into the forest. He could vividly envision bare feet scratched and blonde hair flowing with the chilly wind, she made the perfect lure for the kind Gryffindor who wouldn’t leave his best friend alone in a dangerous place even if it was one that she frequented many times. When they returned and found that Hogwarts was under new management and Neville was conflicted with his choice, a small chilled pale hand on his arm was all it took for him to stand down. Turning to stare at pale blue glazed eyes that held the secrets of the universe. The light never stood a chance.

Hadrian could somewhat predict the cause of his of late blasphemous dreams. In fact, he thought that it was almost certainly the reason for those dreams. He couldn’t get the scene he had witnessed of his Lord, after the seizure of Hogwarts, out of his mind for a whole week after it. How his Lord’s Horcrux self materialized so close to him and Hadrian was left on the other side of the room, silent and absorbing the interaction between the Dark Lord and his Horcrux.

Their lips were less than an inch apart, so much so if one of them breaths they would be kissing. Both of their eyes were heavy lidded and while they were not touching the air itself was charged.

The diadem hissed lowly but abruptly stopped, resting his open palm on his older self’s chest and glancing at Hadrian slyly “I had forgotten for a second that he is a speaker.”

The Dark Lord chuckled, and Hadrian’s heart constricted. He had never heard his Lord laugh like that before, it was a short exhale and accompanied with the seductive smile on his face he looked absolutely sinful. Hadrian could feel his face heating up and his stomach twisting in knots.

“Welcome home my dear Horcrux’” the Dark Lord hissed extending a hand to tilt the diadem’s chin and closing the distance between them in a slow gradually deepening kiss.

The seconds felt like years to Hadrian, whose stomach was practically a circus for bucking thristals, and when they finally ended it and turned to him, he was as red as his mother’s favorite curse.

“Hadrian Lestrange, you have served our cause will.” The diadem purred

“Indeed, not only did you secure my beloved Horcrux and gain the ear of the Longbottom heir, but you also delivered me Hogwarts on a plate of gold. Not quite what I expected of you.”

With lazily slitted eyes the diadem nuzzled the Dark Lord’s jaw, and with a throaty voice said “I do apologize for the anticlimactic inconvenience surrounding Dumbledore’s death, but I had to make use of Hadrian, he is quite resourceful and positively reeking of dark magic” grinning at Hadrian he purred “I simply had to have a taste.”

“That is quite alright, I had hoped to be the one to take that old fool’s life, but you and I are one and the same and Hadrian is our equal. “

Pulling away from the diadem, the Dark Lord approached Hadrian circling him as if he was nothing more than a simple prey animal, laying his palm on his back “your performance has truly pleased me,”

“It is an honor, my Lord,” Hadrian whispered quietly, clearly, back straight, chin raised, and shoulders tense

“You may take off your robe”

Hadrian’s eyes widened and his fingers shook with a fine tremor that he hid by unbuttoning his robes and the dress shirt after. When his skin was bare, the Dark Lord trailed his wand up the mark on his back, the snake slithering on his vertebrae. With the trail of the wand Hadrian could feel his back burn until it reached his neck and the smoldering fire disappeared.

“You may get dressed.”

Putting his clothes back on Hadrian tried his best to not stare his Lord’s Horcrux in the eyes, but the intensity of them were like a noose around his neck forcing him to look up.

Voldemort stood in front of him, blocking his view of the diadem and his smirk and taking his arm in hand “well done Hadrian,” he hissed as his wand caressed the skin leaving it with his mark “you are dismissed.”

Pulling away and going back to his Horcrux’s side Voldemort ignored Hadrian’s retreat, seemingly unknowing of his torment and the smoldering fire he ignited in his stomach at the proximity and most importantly the revelation he was exposed to.

When Hadrian finally disarmed his father, and had his wand pointed to his neck, they both calmed down as if they hadn’t been fighting so fiercely. Shoulders and wands down Rodolphus engulfed his son in a hug, chin above head and hand patting hair. Physical assurances were paramount after he or his wife dueled with their son, they both loved him and wished him nothing but the best. It would devastate them if he grew to resent them.

“Good job Hadrian,” he pulled back and patted his shoulders with a warm smile on his face.

Hadrian’s face broke into a proud smile and straightened his shoulders “I finally beat you,” his grin was blinding and Rodolphus basked in pride at his son’s prevalence.

His happiness and pride however didn’t blind him to his son’s missing arm “here,” he summoned the arm from where it lay undisturbed on the ground, kept preserved by the integrated preserving charms on the room “let me help you with this.” With a light hand and a swift murmur his skin and tissues stretched along the edges connecting to the severed appendage.

“Thanks!” Hadrian exclaimed, clinching and unclenching his fingers to make sure that it was back to how it was, par a paler ring of skin around where it was cut “Only mother’s left before I get to duel properly with our Lord!”

Rodolphus shook his head fondly “go to your godfather,” he turned him to Sirius who stood in the edge of the room fidgeting “he looks like he’s dying from his worry.”

Hadrian nodded and went to his godfather, who looked as if he had been standing on smoldering coals with how unable he was to stand still. When Hadrian stood in front of him Sirius engulfed him in a tight embrace

“Harry!” He exhaled, worry all over his face “Are you alright? That must have been horrible.” He looked miserable and, judging from the way his eyes were slightly glazed over, on the verge of dissociation.

“I’m alright Sirius,”

“Are you sure? You can confide in me.” His palm was clammy as he took Hadrian’s hand in his “I’ve been through this with my own family before.”

Hadrian stared at his godfather passively. While the black tapestry, when they went to inspect it, contained Hadrian’s face it had a scorched area which his mother pointed out as Sirius. His inability to upkeep with his training and his rebellious attitude garnered Walbugra’s anger and caused his disownment, it was highly likely that Sirius would advise Hadrian of a similar course of action.

“Of course. It is only natural that as a magical, your family would see to improving your skills and getting you ready for the new world.” Blinking innocently and tilting his head Hadrian smiled “I’d be quite selfish if I thought that what they teach me is for anything other than my continued wellbeing. Right?”

“Ah. Yes,” Sirius nodded, rubbing his forearms despite the warmth of the room “yeah of course. “he laughed nervously

Hadrian nodded and excused himself “I’ll have to inform mother of the news,”

After Hadrian informed his mother of his success and after a dinner conversation filled with praise, it was decided that Hadrian would have the rest of the dueling sessions with his mother.

It was on the same day, that when Hadrian went to sleep, his dreams took a more tangible sheen that seemed so unlike dreams. Their vividness left Hadrian short of breath and panting, awake, in the middle of the night, staring at the ceiling of his room and dreading the upcoming Luanistyn.

Lord Voldemort had ordered all his subjects, as well as the public, to celebrate the harvest festival and partake in the rituals. It was after all the first step in restoring the magical world into its previous glory. It didn’t hurt that the public seemed susceptible to the idea after the notable changes following the celebration of Samhain. No one could deny the tangible presence of magic in the air.

If he were to attend and kneel at his Lord’s feet, he must get a handle on those… dreams of his. Huffing he turned on his side trying to go back to sleep. He had never tried to remember these dreams yet there was a nagging feeling that there was something important that he ought to remember.

Sighing he closed his eyes and tried to remember. Regardless of the way he was blushing rapidly as he passed through the hazy fog of his dreams, there was one prominent fixture. A golden locket. It was in each and every dream, the ones he had since coming to this manor. It was at times in the background somewhere and at times adorning his Lord’s neck and today around his. It was when Hadrian realized that that he drowned into a dreamless sleep.

“If you want him to live, we must take him to a healer.” Hadrian panted jumping away from the curse his mother shot at him and sending one of his own, “If what Walbugra said was true, then his liver must be severely damaged.” 

“Hmm,” Bellatrix disappeared in a bout of black smoke in order to dodge the sharp ice spears Hadrian conjured “I think I’ll wait a little” she muttered from behind his back with her wand to his spine, able to cripple him at will.

Huffing Hadrian dropped his wand arm and turned to face his mother with a raised eyebrow

“He has to prove how loyal he is to our family.”

“He could collapse irrecoverably” he countered

“And he could change his mind and side with the light.” Shaking her head and returning into dueling position she added “While he is a Gryffindor, he is a Black, first and foremost, he could find a way around the unbreakable vow. “

“I’ll defer to your expertise,” he started once more, taking a more offensive stance

“Of course.” she grinned clutching her bleeding arm close to her body and sending a vicious purple curse his way.

Hadrian was headed to the courtyard after his duel with his mother when he felt a pang resounding through his being. His surroundings were submerged with a red hazy sheen, and he felt himself going dizzy. He feels as if he had forgotten something rather important and that it is the cause of this sense vertigo taking over him.

_“Very good Hadrian,”_

Hadrian’s eyes swept the area searching for the source of the hissed words. It is not Pluto as the elusive snake made himself comfortable in the courtyard and his voice is well known to Hadrian’s ears. It is not Iva either, she is meant to be with his Lord. Which left the irrational yet the only possible chance of it being his Lord. It had the haze and quality of voice his Lord has.

_“Now, now Hadrian,” the alluring voice hissed “do not overthink this. All you have to do is follow my voice.”_

Hadrian found himself obeying the orders instinctively, He would never disobey his Lord willingly

_“Oh Hadrian,”_ The disembodied voice’s crooned _“your loyalty will be rewarded.”_

Hadrian followed the voice to a locked room. The door handle and the floor surrounding the room were covered in dust and Hadrian wondered how no one had noticed this before. With a silent Spell Hadrian unlocked the door and stepped into the dark dusty room.

Despite the early hour, the room was submerged in darkness, the only source of light is that of the hallway. In the dim light pouring from the opened door Hadrian could see specks of dust, scattered, air born, disturbed from their resting place. He would’ve believed the place abandoned had he not been able to sense his Lord’s magic permeating it.

The only explanation for such happenstance is that his Lord left one of his Horcruxes in here. Closing his eyes, Hadrian was able to hear the voice which had called for him to begin with.

It was within a mahogany cupboard that he found, resting on the dark velvet linen, a golden locket. The chain was clearly pure gold, the body of it adorned with pale gems looking as if they contained the light of the killing curse within them.

Pressing his lower lip between his teeth in a rare show of nerves Hadrian took the locket off its perch. He could feel the soul within him ripple in tandem with the one in his hands until they both dimmed back to silence. Taken back, he pulled out his wand when he raised his head to find the spectral silhouette of the Horcrux standing before him.

_“Hadrian. You have pleased me greatly”_

_“Thank you, my Lord.” _Hadrian licked his lips warily. It was one of many things he picked from his true godfather “It is best for you to stay in the Horcrux, however.” He can’t let what happened with the diadem happen again.

_“And who do you think you are?”_ Crimson eyes flared and the slitted pupils constricted into thin dark lines. “_Claiming to know the best for me.”_ He scoffed and dragged Hadrian to him with the front of his robes_ “You may have a shard of us in you, but that doesn’t give you the right to order me around.”_

_“I didn’t mean to offend you, my Lord. What I think is that showing in a corporal form would exhaust your magic.”_ He tried his best to stare at the tie around his Lord’s neck and not let his eyes wander

_“You may be correct, but it is not a big issue.”_ His grip on the robe loosened_ “I have you for that. I must say that your enthusiastic participation had given me a great deal of magic.”_

Flushing, he stuttered _“enthusiastic?”_

“_You poor thing. Couldn’t tell the difference between dreams and reality.” _He let him go and took a step back “_Can’t be blamed I suppose, few can tell the _illusions of mine from dreams.”

_“I’m …”_ the flush spread up his ears and down his neckline, his mind blanked and he could only remember his Lord’s pleased smile when he handed him the diadem, how he had awarded himself for his role in Dumbledore’s demise, “I’ll have to gift you to my Lord on Luanistyn.”

With a raised eyebrow and an amused scoff, the locket closed in on Hadrian _“oh darling, aren’t you such a sweet thing.” _Winding the ends of Hadrian’s flowing curls around his fingers he leaned close _“you responded to me so well, you still do. Yet here you are nothing on your mind but your Dark Lord. How lovely.”_

Left stuttering Hadrian stared at where his Lord’s soul stood a few seconds ago, the words resounding through him.

Clutching the locket to his chest he closed his eyes in resignation. If he gives the locket to his Lord, there was no way he wouldn’t be told of Hadrian’s feeling for him. There was no way Hadrian could stand dueling with the Dark Lord knowing for sure that he _knew_. The only logical option would be to delay the gift to his birthday ball.

That gave him around four months. Four months to reconcile himself to the thought of his Lord knowing of his feelings. Four months of having to sustain his Lord’s soul with his magic. Hadrian flushed, inhaling sharply, remembering how the locket had referred to take it directly from his body. Shaking his head vigorously, he walked back to his room and deposited the locket into his trunk.

Hadrian kneeled before his Lord with a soft greeting. Voldemort turned his attention to the young man next to him, head tilted up and staring at him with adoration. Ignoring his current conversation partner, the Dark Lord turned his attention to the kneeling figure before him with a rare smile on his face. “Rise Hadrian.”

Hadrian stood at once. His expression a beacon of light despite his efforts to appear serious. The Dark Lord tilted his head and with an amused chuckle said, “I heard that you finally beat your mother at a duel."

“Yes, my Lord. “Hadrian beamed, absorbing the approval in his Lord’s voice

"Impressive." the Dark Lord blinked slowly and smiled, "I must see it for myself later."

Nodding Hadrian remembered the few times he dueled with his Lord’s locket, he was abnormally powerful despite running on the limited amount of magic Hadrian provided him in his sleep. Hopefully his Lord would be merciful when he sees the influence of his younger self on Hadrian's performance.

The music started playing and Hadrian’s attention was drawn to his mother and father, swaying with the flow of the strings. Light on their feet with the elegance of practiced fighters. The skirt of his mother’s dress flowing with the momentum of her movement. His father’s robes fluttering around him, accommodating to his status as a fighter with long slits along the sides

Noticing the longing in his eyes, Voldemort drew Hadrian’s attention with a hissed question _“would you give me the pleasure of having this dance?”_

Hadrian’s head snapped back to his Lord. Eyes wide and unbelieving. Face heating up with the flow of blood he nodded timidly _“Of course. The pleasure is all mine Master.”_

Unwinding Pluto from his place on his forearm and depositing him on top of Nagini. Hadrian took his Lord’s offered hand and followed him to the dance floor, passingly noticing his mother’s delighted grin.

As soon as his Lord excused him, Hadrian pulled himself away from the ball with a bow to his Lord and a deep blush staining his skin. In his hasty retreat he didn’t notice Pluto slithering behind him.

The grounds were cold, dark and filled with trees and tall well rimmed hedges. The plants lush with life. The ritual having worked its magic into the soil. There were golden globes of floating lights around the cozy passage of the grand maze. It was there that Hadrian sat. Near the flowing fountain and under the warmth of the firelights.

Sighing he leaned back against the cold stone of the fountain closing his eyes and locking out the world.

He felt guilty. Guilty for hiding the locket from his Lord. Guilty for the way he allowed the locket to get magic directly from his body. In his all-consuming guilt Hadrian made the mistake of letting his guard down. Thus, was taken by surprise when he heard the violent hiss he recognized as Pluto and then everything went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh.. sorry for the suspense?
> 
> P.S: Still not an English native speaker :p


	3. The Black Madness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry, Sirius, and a locket

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh. Yeets this and disappears

It was dark, damp, no sound for company but the consistent drip of water. Taking a few moments for his eyes to get used to the darkness Hadrian scanned the room. Calling it a room was way too generous, it was a small hole. Four cracked walls so close to each other they reminded him of his cupboard under the stairs. He closed his eyes. Fighting the memories and flashes of pain. His inhales became rapid shallow things that made his lungs protest and constrict in pain.

Trying to ground himself to the present he reminded himself of the warmth of his mother’s embrace and his father’s praise. The pleased gleam in his lord’s eyes and his constant reminders of how cherished Hadrian was. How superior he is to the muggle filth and what they put him through. His heartbeats calmed down as he recalled the scent of burning wood.

Suddenly his eyes were assaulted by a bright light. Blind he clinched his eyes in a vain effort to block the light from his sensitive retinas.

“He is awake.” A rough voice stated.

Hadrian opened his eyes refusing to be caught unaware. The source of the offending light was a crude muggle flashlight aimed directly at his face. A poor imitation of the shows he sometimes sneaked looks at on _that_ muggle family’s dinner time.

Nudging him with his foot another voice grunted “Good.” The same man extended a hand and pulled harshly on Hadrian’s hair, forcing him to look at him “you better answer every question or you would find out the consequences of disobedience.”

Hadrian stared passively at the the man before him, fighting not to wrinkle his nose at the stench of alcohol and stale breath the man emitted, internally panicking over what information they plan to extract from him. He was immune to the Imperious curse as his sessions with his lord proved. Vertaserum, however, was a complete different matter. No amount of will or resistance would work once the antiserum he takes weekly is no longer active. 

The man, Alastor Moody, Hadrian recognized, stared at Hadron intensely with his magical eye. For now silence is the only weapon he has against them. He wondered where was Pluto and prayed he was safe.

“You think you’re someone important? Soon enough you will break and- ”

The loud noise of the door hinges interrupted his threats, opening to admit another silhouette into the room. The newcomer growled in anger as soon as he laid eyes on Hadrian, lunging at him with his whole body.

“You cursed devil spawn!” The man screamed and thrashed, held away from the tied up and shackled prisoner by the whole of Moody’s body “I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you like you killed him!”

“Calm down kid,” Moody grunted, pulling the boy out of the room and away from the assessing eyes of their prisoner. Moody locked the door and slid a heavy bar of iron barring it diligently, not wanting to take any risk.

Pushing the boy to the worn out couch to the side of the room he loomed over him “what has gotten into you, huh?”

The boy stared stubbornly eyes shining with unshed tears “He killed him!” his voice all but a scream

“He didn’t kill him. It was that cursed snake, and it’s dead.”

The boy’s chin quivered with his effort to suppress a sob. His brother was all he had left. His family abandoning them when they voiced their thoughts of revolution. Of fighting back. And now here he was, fighting with men he doesn’t know for a cause that hasn’t brought him anything but suffering and misery. Hiding like rats, in an abandoned building that even muggles wouldn’t come close to.

“But,” he hiccuped, trying to reason with the leader

“No. You don’t get to disobey my orders like that. We don’t know what that devil spawn is capable of. He could’ve turned us against each other!”

The boy lowered his gaze, directing his anger and frustration to the ground. Counting the endless cracks in the wood boards in an effort to calm himself. He will avenge his brother, wether he is allowed to or not.

Nodding Moody grunted with an aborted movement of his head to the adjacent room “Go fitch Aberforth, tell him the boy’s awake.”

The boy nodded and pulled himself up on legs unsteady with restrained emotions.

Called into the room, the last living Dumbledore walked in with the present few of the opposition tailing him. Exchanging glances and silent words, he and Moody separated from the group and entered the room locking the door behind them with a resounding clang. Both stood above the boy eyeing him with disgust and wariness. Before his death, Albus had entrusted his doubts regarding the boy’s parentage to Moody and so, both were weary of the boy sitting tied up and shackled with magic restraining cuffs.

Pulling a glass vial from his too wide sleeve, Aberforth approached the boy.

Hadrian stared at them, observing, absorbing. They looked as frightened as sheep led to slaughter, yet there was no wand in sight. In fact, there was no sign of them being magical other than their ragged and worn robes and the vial of shimmering liquid held by a man he doesn’t recognize yet feels as if he had seen somewhere. 

Seemingly steeling his resolve, the man grabbed Hadrian’s chin harshly and with the loud pop of the stopper resounding in the silent room, he poured the liquid into Hadrian’s mouth. The boy thrashed violently, startling the bottle from the elder’s hand and spitting what spilled of it in his mouth to the damp cracked floor.

Backing up and away from the snarling form of Hadrian the man stared in shock and fear, quickly taken under the cover of anger. “You think that you’re so strong and brave don’t you.” He grunted his displeasure at the wasted time and money put into making that one single vial. “You think yourself so clever?” He taunted pulling another vial, the only one remaining.

With a look towards moody the man grunted before standing behind the boy and burying a rough hand in his long mane. Not giving the boy time to adjust or even comprehend he pulled his head back harshly, forcing his neck to bend and his mouth to open in a silent scream. Not wasting a second more Aberforth emptied the vial of its content into the boy’s mouth. Forcefully pressing his jaws closed to make sure it is not wasted. Despite Hadrian’s struggles to break free once more, the rough hand in his hair kept him from thrashing.

As Aberforth let go of Hadrian and moved away, Moody pushed the boy’s head away from him snd went to stand where he stood once.

Hadrian dropped his head to hide his eyes behind his hair that is now falling around his face, displaced from where it was tied before. If he could delude them into thinking that he was under the influence, it might buy him some time.

“What is your name?” Moody barked. Patience running out as he tried to catch the boy’s eyes.

“Hadrian Cygnus Lestrange.” Hadrian answered voice monotone

Growling Moody kicked the chair Hadrian sat in, sending it spiraling to the floor with the boy still tied to it.

Having seen enough men blinded by the haze of the vertaserum, Moody regarded the boy’s too clear eyes. His willfully changed manner. How his eyelids lower slightly as if under the effect and how his head tilts to the side as if his neck could no longer hold it up. And it is a convincing act, its deliberateness not obvious, except for how acquainted Moody was with the way the serum should truly work its effect.

Cursing he turned to Aberforth “He has taken the antiserum.”

The eldest cursed and turned away from them, leaving the room with Moody trailing him anger radiating from them both.

Outside and away from hearing range Aberforth cursed once more “We need at least a month to make another vial of it!”

“We need to know the truth! Why did that abomination have the wand of Harry Potter on him!” Moody fumed. Albus had told him of the wand, showed him even. They speculated and considered that Voldemort had a hand in what had befallen Potter, but to have their doubts confirmed had been a shock.

Rodolphus Lestrange made his way through the Dark Lord's manor. Late enough to be early, the sun contemplating its rise and despite the approaching of a new dawn the halls of the Slytherin manor were crowded with frantic death eaters. There haven't been this much tense magic in the air since the first war, and while honored that his son was the cause of it, Rodolphus wished that it didn't have to be like this.

As he approached the Dark Lords' office the heavy doors opened on their own revealing a seething Dark Lord. Voldemort turned, leveling Rodolphus with blazing crimson eyes.

"Any progress?" he hissed, his Larynx barely forming words that are understandable by his follower.

"No my Lord” Rodolphus answered guiltily with his eyes cast downwards, ashamed of his lacking abilities as a death eater and as a father.

"Where is Bellatrix?' the Dark Lord asked, turning away from the man lest he unleash his anger and frustration upon him.

"She is still out there, searching for him." clearing his throat, Rodolphus stared at his Lord’s familiar which was wrapped around some sort of trinkets "She wouldn’t listen to anything said to her. The only thing on her mind is finding him."

Seething the Dark Lord dismissed his follower with a hissed order to join her in her search and to not return without results. When the man left and the door slammed behind him, four spectral shapes appeared once more.

Nagini tightened her clutch on the vessels of said four. The diadem, diary, cup and ring. Hadrians disappearance incensed the Dark Lord and pushed him to gather the remainder of his horcruxes to him. Only for him to be further angered by the disappearance of another horcrux of his. The locket, hidden so deep where no one was to know of it and guarded by the dead who are so hungry for increasing their numbers, it was missing. his attempts to locate the boy were futile and even tracking Pluto, who was made for that specific purpose lead to nothing but the rigid corpse of said snake. Voldemort mourned the fallen comrade and retrieved what he could of his memories.

The hooded figures which appeared in his area of vision were unrecognizable, only one standing out with an unmistakable limp and swaddling gait. The leader of the opposition, Alastor Moody. No spell, ritual or potion proved useful in tracking the boy or the horcrux within him, and the Dark Lord cursed himself for fortifying the boy as much as he did, and in his paranoia forgetting to allow himself the access to the boys' location.

"Harry ?" the Black Lord croaked, voice scratchy from extended periods of silence with nothing but violent breakdowns in between. His godson disappeared and while they had left no stone unturned in their search for him, he was nowhere to be found.

It took thirty days and twenty-nine nights for Sirius to revert back to his wraith like appearance. He locked himself up in Twelve Grimmauld Place with nothing but tears and misery for company. Another godson of his, lost. It was just as well that he had woke up one day from his sleep to darkness. Nothing reflecting off his startlingly silver eyes. He lay unmoving, thinking it a result of how much he cried, every day for the past month.

In reality, it was something else entirely. Had he not left before continuing his studies at his ancestral manor, he might’ve recognized that it was the black madness. Traumatic events such as this one incensing it. Making it fiercer, quicker to sink its teeth deep into him.

He had thought of nothing but his godson, his Harry. He might not be a Gryffindor, nor a child in need of guidance but the time spent with him, made Sirius forget how crude the world was. It was Sirius who needed Harry not the other way around. 

Drowning in despair with nothing to do and nothing to lose, Sirius traced his way to Hadrian's room. He had the route memorized with how all of his days in the past month were spent there. However, unlike every time he went to the room and sat weeping at the door, He entered the room which was unlocked.

No one would go in to Hadrian’s room without his permission, and his nerves the day he was to meet the Dark Lord made him disregard unimportant things, such as locking his room.

Sirius contemplated the night he last saw his godson. He had went with them to the institution ball at Harry’s insistence and met with the Dark Lord who had not been as monstrous as Sirius had been led to believe. He was charming and kind to the children. Not the megalomanic tyrant he thought him to be.

Opening the Door Sirius stumbled into the room blindly, eyes unseeing and hands seeking he fell at the foot of the bed, tears streaming down his face as he remembered Harry’s smile that night -it was truly a wonder how they have yet to run out.

As his tears fell so did his strength. He felt tired and sleepy, his eyelids drooping. Resisting the pull of unconsciousness proved futile and he lay on the warm fur rug. Pale steel eyes closed for a second, blinking back open the crimson spread like blood on steel. A frail hand extended into The bedside drawer, past curses and wards, and pulled out the locket out.

Leaving the room, the manor, and the grounds, the man took a deep breath before apparating away.

Lord Voldemort stood above a bubbling caldron. Frustrated and angry he huffed and turned away from the useless potion results.

"Don't stress yourself my Lord.” the Diary whispered, taking his place beside the Dark Lord and softly splaying his hand on his cheeks. “We are going to find him.”

"Nothing is working!" The Dark Lord growled "He is not in England and _He_ is not in a place my magic can reach."

The ring nodded standing from his place at the chair by the office. "It is the rebels who are responsible for his disappearance. It is a strong possibility that they have their base in the muggle world, where no one knows to navigate."

the Diadem nodded his assent, and with furrowed brows he interjected "why _Him_ thought." Nagini shifted on his lab, wrapping him tightly to keep him at their place on the floor "They must have a reason for Taking him and disappearing like they did. Could they know?" he hesitantly asked eyes leveled thoughtfully at the embers of the fireplace. Before Any of them could answer they all felt the shift in the wards indicating someone apparating within.

No one had the privilege of being able to apparate into the manor other than its current Lord. That and The shift in the wands which brought with it the familiar presence of the Dark Lord's soul piece were telling of the presence identity.

Not long after, the doors to the office burst open. Admitting Hadrian's godfather. Voldemort remembers the man from the ball, his looks have changed significantly and he could guess Hadrian’s disappearance is the cause of that.

The man stood at the threshold blinking with a distinct telling crimson gaze. "I had not anticipated meeting all of you in here." his hand held the golden chain of the locket and he locked his gaze where the dark lard stood his magic emitting enough to power a Kingdom let alone a few horocruxes.

Walking to him and kneeling at his feet the locket extended the golden vessel of his soul "My Lord. Hadrian wished to present you with it himself, yet he is apparently compromised and unlikely to be able to do so now."

With furrowed brows the Dark Lord took the locket, examining how saturated with magic it was. The magic had the vibrant signature of Hadrian’s presence, saturated enough in his magic to be tangible even after so long a while.

"You have enough magic to not need to possess Black to get here." The cup pointed out from his place by the door, breaking the silence he had held for quite awhile. He wasn't very talkative, after all he did spend years with no company in the Lestrange vault.

Nodding the locket stood to explain "Hadrian informed me of a certain ... Curse, that has befallen his godfather."

Tiring of hearing his own voice out the lips of another, the Dark Lord turned to Nagini and fed her the golden vessel. A ripple went through the room, an effect of Voldemort's' magic, and where Sirius Black stood alone the locket stood now beside him, no longer sharing a body. "Proceed" The Dark Lord waved off.

Adjusting quickly, as expected, the locket continued explaining "The Black Madness," turning to the diary who had an intrigued look to his eyes he explained "Orion Black told us of it a year after you were made. The curse affects a Black and drives them into a gradual Blindness followed by Seerhood."

Turning to Sirius, the locket explained patiently “Hadrian's disappearance led to its premature development." He is well into his seerhood now. He might see something about Hadrians whereabouts."

Voldemort and the rest of the Horcruxes stared at him for a second before Voldemort ordered his trusty house elf to move Black to another room and keep a close eye on him.

With that out of the way the locket tilted his head to the side "now that’s done, what about catching me up to the fun You all have been having?"

"There is no time for that now." Voldemort said

The diadem hummed "Why not indulge us? It is only a matter of time before we find Hadrian. with him around I’m sure You won't be coming to us anymore."

"What for." the Dark Lord asked tilting the Diadem's head up

With a faint blush he explained “ well Hadrian is obviously enamored with you. He is one of us and it is only a matter of time you bed him."

Scoffing Voldemort let go of his Horcrux and went to his desk sitting on it surrounded by echos of himself “He is just a boy. A child. I have no interest in children.”

The diary tilted his head with an amused Smirk "Soon enough he's going to be my age. I don't see you excluding me from our activities." he retorted standing between the dark lard’s legs and taking strands of his hair between his fingers “Nor would I allow it.”

"You’re different. Hadrian is quite... innocent when it comes to this Particular type of depravity."

The locket chuckled "I don't think so. You would be surprised of how insatiable Hadrian is." All eyes on the room leveled him with interest, surprise and amusement

"What?” He Shrugged unabashedly "How do you think I got all that magic. And before you berate me it wasn’t real, it was all in his mind and with his consent".

Shaking his head, exasperated with the direction the conversation is taking, Voldemort stood, with a hand on his diary's chest to nudge him away lightly.

The ring stopped him, head tilted he advised "You're way too tense. let us welcome his return.” He gestured to the locket with his head. “Unwind, clear your head, and then go back to looking for our lost boy. Yes?" The ring had a way with words that could talk an angel out of heaven, all of them did. The ring just knew how to convince the Dark Lord with subtle words and subtler smirks.

Hadrian coughed, lungs disturbed from the humid dank air. He was cold, hungry and most likely alive only because his magic wouldn’t have him dead. He kept count of the days as much as he could, and very soon they would be here with the Vertaserum and in his weakness he doubts he would be able to put up a fight

They haven’t used any magic anywhere for as long as they were crowded in this place, giving him less than scraps to prevent his death and dowsing him with cold water every morning in lieu of giving him something to drink.

Just then, Moody and Aberforth entered the room. The loud squeaky sound of metal on metal and the bright light aimed at him making him grit his teeth and close his eyes in discomfort.

They didn’t waste time in pointless chatter this time. Moody stood before him and pulled his head back with a hand in his hair. Once brilliant and shining, now muted with the dirt and blood from their rough handling.

“What is your name?” Aberforth asked, satisfaction obvious in his voice at finally breaking the boy, whose eyes glazed over and body slumped down

There was no fighting the serum no matter how hard he tried because his magic was so focused on keeping him alive, “Hadrian Cygnus Lestrange.” Hadrian answered tonelessly

Moody let go of him and walked to stand before him, magical eye rotating rapidly “Who is your father.” 

“Rodolphus Lestrange” he answered once more, he was confused why would the first thing they ask about him is his father? Since he was still under the effect of Vertaserum His confusion was limited to thought.

Moody rolled his eyes and grumbled impatiently “I don’t care for that. Who is your father. Your biological father!”

Hadrian’s eyes widened despite the hold of the serum and he fought every impulse to speak out the words trying to leave his mouth. His strength however couldn’t hold up with how exhausted he was and soon enough “James Potter.” Left his mouth.

Moody stared at him as did Aberforth. The air seemed to leave the room as no one was breathing. Moody’s face became bright red as if blood was about to burst directly from his head and it reminded Hadrian of his uncle.. no the muggle filth he had stayed with in the beginning of his life.

The magical eye that was leveled on him rotated violently in its place as Moody asked very deliberately slow as if he was trying to hold in the eruption of a volcano “and who, exactly is your biological birth mother?”

“Lily Potter.” Hadrian answered words leaving his mouth forcefully through his teeth.

In a blink of an eye Moody had pulled his wand and shot a _somnium _at him in his shock.

Sirius violently shook, startling awake in the darkness with nothing but the image of Hadrian tied up and bruised and the name of his godson on his lips.


	4. The Willow tree

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter I know, it had to leave the nest eventually. Otherwise it wouldn’t learn to fly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the comments no matter how short! They’re really encouraging!  
Also, almost 500 kudos! Who would’ve thought, not me!

Neville sat in the garden drinking tea with his friend Hermione, they had not seen each other at all since the end of the year and they had a lot to catch up with. But he didn’t know what was so urgent that she had asked to talk to him about.

“It’s so nice to see you again Neville.” Hermione embraced him tightly for a few seconds and let go to set down in the empty seat available “This is such a beautiful place!”

The garden was his pride lush and green, even more so after the Dark Lord’s new rule, everything felt more vibrant even if the people themselves were mostly afraid. “Thanks Hermione! I grew it all myself.”

She hummed tapping her fingers on the table and frowning when a house elf popped up with tea and disappeared at once “I came here to speak with you in confidence.”

Neville nodded sipping at his tea, thinking that he can somewhat predict what she wishes to say.

“I’m thinking of joining the resistance. “ she whispered guiltily, eyes downcast and forefinger tapping on the side of the tea cup rapidly

Neville frowned, setting his cup down and folding his hands together “You are a bright witch Hermione, the brightest of our age I think.” He pursed his lips and let out a soft huff “I think you know better thank to go against the dark lord. “

Her eyes glinted and she raised her head at once, leveling him with sharp eyes “Dark Lord? Only those who follow him call him that! Neville don’t tell me you..”

Sighing he tried to calm the rage in her eyes “Hermione you should realize that the resistance is bad. They’re not doing anything good. They kidnapped Hadrian for god’s sake.”

Her eyes widened and she stood angry “I can’t believe you’re still friends with him! He deserves it! He killed Dumbledore! It’s all because of him! I shouldn’t have come here”.

Neville stood and walked around the table to stand before her “Hermione, you need to calm down. I know that the Dark Lord has a lot of blood on his hands but you must have noticed how different everything is under his rule.”

“He wants us to abandon our families Neville!” She screamed at him, pulling away from him and hugging herself in an effort to comfort herself “soon the bill will pass and every muggleborn will be forced to choose between their family and their magic! That’s not fair!”

Neville bit his lips to hold back his words, one of them out of control was enough. He remembered Luna’s words, his eyes followed the shimmer of magic in the air, the vibrant lush of the plants. Things were different before the dark lord’s rule and not a good kind of different. “Think about it Hermione, Gramma said it too. Muggles diluted our culture! The efforts to appease them weakened us. Can you even compare what things were like before Samaihan , before ……?”

Her eyes widened as if she was slapped “I can’t believe you! You…, You are selfish!” She gathered her bag and walked into the manor, heading to the floo spot

“Hermione,” when she turned to him he stopped following her “you’re my friend and I wish you all the best things in the world. You’re bright and would flourish under the dark lord’s rule all you need to do is to think about it. Just, please think about it!”

She huffed and held the floo powder in her hands and with a monotonous “Goodbye Neville “ she disappeared

“My Lord,” golden strands of hair trailed down to the ground with how low their owner kneeled “I had been waiting for you.”

Voldemort stared as snowy pale blue eyes watched him passively. They looked like the eyes of the dead, unmoving and almost colorless, he felt comforted meeting them because they reminded him of his army of undead. ”Rise,” he ordered.

Standing she stood as if floating in mind and body. Her face bore the shadow of a smile, unaffected by all what is happening around her. Her eyes fell on Sirius Black and she tilted her head to stare at him and with light curtsy she greeted “Good morning Lord Black.”

Sirius flinched and clinched his hand in the sleeves of his robes, swallowing and answering with a hoarse voice.

Voldemort sighed and turned to the map in the middle of the room, calling for his locket to bring the man closer. She already knew about them so they weren’t dismissed when she arrived, and it is not like Sirius can see or recognize them.

“Black had a vision of Hadrian, I tracked it down to this specific area” A wave of bright purple light rippled across a map resting on the war table, a reenactment of past event “it was a single pulse and disappeared before we could pin it down. All we have is the echo of it.”

Luna hummed, eyes tracing the purple ripple disappearing and appearing continuously “ I’d love to help,” she murmured “but I I haven’t seen Hadrian lately. “

Lord Voldemort sighed, moving away from the map and sitting at the edge of his office desk contemplating a way into the land the rebels hid in. If only he could pinpoint the land he would rip all the the wards and those inside it. Not only one, but two seers are at his disposal yet they’re of no use to him.

“Hermione would know about it,” Luna said, voice unchanged from its airy quality “she has seen him more recently than I.”

With a quick flutter of his eyelids the dark lord straightened from his place and strode out the door in steady measured steps, dismissive of those in the room.

Apparating to the ministry, the dark lord headed for the department of mysteries. The archive was new, recently implemented and inaccessible to anyone but him. It was not a small feat to have record of every magical creature in Britain in one place, but he had been working on it. Every witch and wizard and house elf so far, and still growing. Finding the girl’s name was easy, finding Her, however, was going to take a good portion of his time.

Without further delay the dark lord did the ritual and called up Barty to him. Barty, the only one incensed as Bellatrix is about Hadrian’s disappearance. The boy who lived neglected by his father grew up to become a man who cared dearly for his friends’ son, enough to be appointed his godfather. He and Bellatrix disappeared the day Hadrian did and have yet to return, Barty unlike Bellatrix had the sense to report their findings, even if the reports were quick, simple ,and infrequent.

Despite the the intensity of their feelings, once called upon, both appeared in the ritual room kneeling for their lord. Voldemort stared at them both impatiently and waved his wand at the caldron. Mist gathered above it quickly before forming the face of a young witch with distinguishable auburn hair, “Hermione Granger,” he introduced

His eyes leveled on theirs as they stared at him, placing her location into their minds, “bring her.”

With a determined “My lord,” both disappeared in a fog of black

The dark lord gathered his men in the atrium to report their progress on hunting the rebels. Many didn’t make much of an impact and few had filled the dungeons with rebels. Despite that he wasn’t satisfied. The rebels infiltrated the ball he held, and there was no prisoner in the dungeons who had a hand in that.

The death eaters were standing organized in the atrium leaving a part of it in the front, where only the inner circle members were to stand, empty. That was where Bellatrix and Barty apparated with a disgruntled witch in hand.

Bellatrix held the witch’s head down with a rough hand in her hair. Pulling the witch down with her into a knee she greeted the dark lord. Her usual enthusiasm and lividity absent.

“Report Bellatrix,” the dark lord ordered

Head lowered and still on a knee she answered “I have captured and killed twenty four rebels my lord.” With a swallow she added “after due interrogation.”

The dark lord nodded, placated. At least some of his followers were capable. Standing from his place on the throne, Voldemort motioned for the three to rise. 

“Hermione Granger,” he drawled voice low, cold, oddly threatening despite his calm “you are a bright witch who would thrive under my rule,” yanking her head up he continued “if you live, that is”

The witch trembled in her place with fear. It was not what she had intended to do. She meant to join them. She thought Hadrian deserved to be punished for what he had caused, but not like that. Not what she had seen them do to him in their hiding place. Even death would have been a mercy in comparison, and now she was standing in front of the dark Lord answering for crimes that weren’t hers. How could Neville sell her out like this? they were friends!

Bellatrix yanked her hair up, a maniac gleam in her gray eyes “did the cat eat your tongue?” Pulling her face, angled so that pale gray could meet dark brown. “When my lord addresses you, you answer him.”

“No need Bellatrix,” the dark lord murmured and she let go of her at once , head dipping in respect

“Tell me Granger,” Voldemort’s voice was cold yet crooning, his unblemished pale skin wrinkling around the corners of his eyes “where were you after you last saw Hadrian”

Hermione stared at the dark lord in horror as she considered her fate when it is proven that she won’t cooperate. She had no means to even if she wished to do so, they weren’t stupid enough to let her into their lair without precautions in place. “I don’t know,” she whispered

The dark lord straightened staring at her for a moment before calling Nagini to him with indistinguishable hisses that unnerved most of the attendance.

Slithering from her place around the throne Nagini warped around the frightened witch “_Sshe knowss where Hadrian iss?_”

The dark lord hissed his affirmation turning his back to the girl, who was shaking uncontrollably in the snakes grasp, and summoned the map in his office. Turning to the girl he moved the map into her view “I will not help you if you do not help yourself Granger,”

Hermione stared terrified as a purple ripple of light appeared and disappeared where she recognized as the area the rebels lair was in. There was nothing she could do. “I…” her whole body broke out in goosebumps, her teeth shattered in fear, and she couldn’t for the life of her stop shaking violently

“Go on.” The dark lord prompted, his crimson gaze leveled on her own terrified eyes. Pupils expanded fully in fear.

“I can’t …” she gasped as the snake around her constricted and hissed, dripping fangs dangerously close to her face “They’re under the Fidelius charm,” she stuttered

The dark lord looked unimpressed and bored with the whole ordeal as if she was telling him that the sky is blue or that the killing curse was green “And?” He raised his wand at her

“I don’t,” tears willed in her eyes, she knew she wouldn’t make it out alive, and she would be lucky If that was her fate alone. She had to do anything, say anything, or he surly would wipe out her family form existence. “There is a living complex that I saw,” her words rushed out, stumbling and clumsy “there was a library next to it, an old muggle woman owns it.”

The dark lord nodded and with a flick of a hand the witch fell into a heap in the ground, Nagini slithering to where her master stood. Turning to his followers the dark lord called “Bellatrix, Barty, bring with you as many as you’d like and meet me in there at once.”

Bellatrix’s wild eyes glimmered and she nodded perfunctorily, turning to the lower tier death eaters and dragging ten of them behind her.

The dark lord apparated in the area where the ripple resonated. There weren’t many people around, the area run down and squalid. Broken down rubbles and abandoned buildings shimmering with the heat of living beings inside, pests all of them.

Casting an effortless Imperio on a random muggle, Voldemort questioned of the whereabouts of the library. The muggle directed him to where it stood. A small building, a hole between two buildings. It was an insult to call it a library for it is a small cramped room with worn books stacked and scattered around. Even the shelves were worn and splintered.

Face hiding his disdain and disgust he turned to face the wrecked buildings. He’d liked to be more certain before performing the spell, but with the precautions in place there was no way he could extract anything more certain from the young witch.

Pulling his wand out, Lord Voldemort sent a powerful disillusionment spell. Repelling any curious filth from approaching.

Soon enough the street filled with the darkest black, announcing the arrival of Bellatrix, Barty and the select death eaters.

With everything in place the dark lord raised his wand to the sky and with a chant, a pulse of avada green pulsed through the wand’s hilt and up into the sky. A sharp ripping sound resonated through the air, gradually revealing a rundown building. “Bellatrix, Barty, with me” sparing the rest a look that demanded supplication “the rest of you, I want everyone captured **Alive**.”

With a collective “yes my lord,” and after a strong ward trapping the rats inside the building, the death eaters crashed into it brandishing their wands.

The dark lord advanced, wand back into its holster with Bella and Barty flanking him from both sides. Now that the ward has been ripped, he could feel his soul’s presence. It was weak, weaker than he’d like it to be. He quickened his pace, walking through rooms bright with sharp reds and yellows, thankfully no green as they seemed to have obeyed his order. The dark lord maneuvered through halls and spells, down stairs with collapsed wooden planks and mossy railings.

The closer the dark lord gets, the more rebels Bella and Barty must fend off. It is obviously a great feat to render them unconscious and not dead.

Where there was nothing between him and his soul but a wall, the leader of the opposition stood.

Wand clutched tightly and eye rotating wildly, the man growled. The dark lord didn’t care to listen for what he had to say, this close to his soul and yet it felt weak , barely there. The man’s eye flashed with anger at being ignored, bleating louder and louder.

With a wave of his hand a rune appeared directly under the red faced man forcing him to his knees, words stopped in his throat as he fought to inhale air into his lungs.

The dark lord stared at the man’s pathetic form and stepped over his collapsed body to stand in front of the wall he knew to harbor the boy who carried his soul. With no further hesitation he shattered the bricks under his hand into small salt like particles.

It was a small space. Barely enough room for the metal chair the boy was chained to. Gray brick walls and dirty sand floor discolored with wide splashes of blood. The boy was collapsed, as much as he could, with his hands and legs chained to the metal chair.

Long hair in disarray, strands clumped together with clotted blood and grime. Skin that was previously healthy and unblemished, covered in dirt, clotted wounds, and bruises.

The boy was unconscious , perhaps a mercy, the dark lord thought as he stared at his soul’s vessel. Bellatrix rushed to him with an agonized gasp. Kneeling next to the chair he sat in and gathering fragile mangled fingers in her own.

“Oh baby,” she whispered, her usually intense and sharp voice lowered into a sorrowful lilt. A flick of a wand and a clank of broken metal, she gathered his body into her own. His smaller frame fitting into her lap as she hugged him close to her “What did they do to you.” Her voice shivered and cracked and gained a sharp vindictive edge.

“Bellatrix,” the dark lord murmured. Drawing her attention. When she turned to him with red rimmed deranged eyes he sighed “take Hadrian back.”

Her eyes darted from her lord and down to her son’s unconscious body. Determined, she nodded her head with a soft “yes, my lord” and tightened her hold on her son and apparated away.

It was dark. Everything was black and he could feel the cold darkness seeping into his body. Into his bones. He could hear screaming and feel claws peeling his skin. He couldn’t breath. He couldn’t see. Nothing but pain and screaming. “Liar” a voice sneered cruelly and he bolted upright.

His eyes widened and his lungs expelled air, and stubbornly refused to take anything back into it. He felt as if his lungs were filed with water, as if they were collapsing on themselves. And the more he took in of the room the more he panicked. It was unfamiliar. They moved him here to lull him into a false sense of security and gut him. Again.

He started hyperventilating and his vision was swimming, and when a house elf popped up in front of him he flinched back. Burying himself into the pillows behind him. His vision swayed and he couldn’t concentrate on anything. Not even the popping sound of the elf disappearing could get him out of his hysterical trance. He didn’t even notice that his previously broken clavicle was patched up or that he wasn’t chained up anymore.

The dark lord sat in his office with Bellatrix and Rodolphus. The frantic edge Bellatrix had, slowly disappearing, replaced with the frantic need to exact revenge on those who slighted her and her family. The dark lord, didn’t approve of reckless decisions and was about to chastise her for her behavior when the house elf popped in suddenly.

Frantic and twitchy, the house elf relayed the sudden development to those in the room.

Entering the room, the dark lord stared at the small body shaking in the middle of the many pillows on the bed. His hand was snagged in his long hair, eyes closed tightly and “Please I’m not lying.” Repeated so hurriedly the words tangled nigh indistinguishable. One glance and the dark lord turned, making room for the kid’s parents to go to him.

Hadrian kept rocking in place, his slight bruised frame unable to handle his frantic lash out. His eyes were closed tight and he looked small and lost and it broke Bellatrix’s heart. Her son, her lovely prideful legacy, reduced to a quivering mess.

Uncaring, she invaded his space and embraced him tightly to her. Limiting his range of movement.

The dark lord stared at the scene playing in front of him and made the decision to leave the parents with their child and summon a mind healer. Hadrian’s physical injuries, after all, were treated and taken care of long before he awakened.

With Hadrian settled in and asleep, the dark lord retreated to his room with the mind healer and the boy’s parents. They both looked frayed around the edges, Rodolphus more so than Bellatrix. Hadrian had, for all intents and purposes, forget he existed. And when the dark lord turned to the healer, inquiring about his state, Rodolphus seemed to grow more weary and worn, pureblood mask nowhere to be seen.

“He associates her presence with safety. “ the healer explained “it seems to be that she is the one person he rememberers with clarity in his life.”

The dark lord sighed, crimson eyes watching the way Bellatrix hovered around her husband unknowing how to make him feel better

“that would be because Bellatrix taught at his institute ever since he was a child.”

The healer nodded, his brows wrinkling in thought “He may have not seen his mother for years on end after,” the healer trailed off glancing at the dark lord quickly and continued “,but her connection to him mended with her efforts.“ the healer turned to her “you are the only person he seems sure of his relation to.”

Bellatrix bared her teeth in anger “what did they **do **to my son.”

The dark lord nodded and turned from the healer and to his office, “Calm down Bella,” he murmured and she grimaced, pursing her lips. Silently seething and clinching her hand around her wand, red glimmering from its tip in a display of anger. “Is there a way to restore his memory. “ the dark lord asked

The healer coughed nervously, eyes settled on the floor by his feet, praying that the dark lord and the infamous lady Lestrange wouldn’t turn their fury on him “ There is.” he swallowed “His mind shut down in effort to distance itself from the,” he paused, amended “from what it had been subjected to.”

The dark lord leveled him with a stare that clearly stated that it was nothing he didn’t know himself. He had no patience for such things. Eyes narrowing, prompting the solution, he hummed.

“Putting him in an environment that is familiar and safe might perhaps jog his memory.” The healer nervously straightened his white robes “Lady Lestrange might introduce him to those he doesn’t remember, assure him that they are safe to be around.”

The dark lord nodded, nothing he didn’t think of himself. The healer, dismissed with a wave of a hand, scrambled away after dutifully kneeling.

The dark lord turned to his devote followers. They looked unlike what he knew them to be. The calculating gleam In Rodolphus’s eyes that resembles his late father’s, replaced by dejected fury. Bellatrix’s once amused and deranged eyes, ferocious and outraged, highlighted by the dark brushing stark under pale gray eyes and paler skin.

“My lord,” Bellatrix started, asking permission, granted she elaborated, “May I bring Hadrian to our manor in Bulgaria, my lord.”

The dark lord nodded, they might not know the real cause for it but they knew that the dark lord invested deeply in Hadrian’s well being, and they wouldn’t take him from under his watch without his permission. “You may.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you find any spelling mistakes hit me up, I proofed it three times but still.  
@ lightseed You are amazing, thanks for your comments!


	5. Sands of Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hadrian is back to his family's manor. Healing. Relearning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I appreciate all your comment the Long and the short they really make me Happy!  
Truly even if you leave an emoji or keys-smash as a reply they are still valid and make me very happy
> 
> Oh and Unbetad
> 
> CW: implied torture, traumatic amnesia

“Choose between being helpless or in pain.” The healer asked staring at the brutally bruised shoulder of his patient and up into his mother's angry face

“My son is not helpless.” She snarled, “He may not be able to move his arm but that doesn’t make him helpless.” Bellatrix has never been one to hide her emotions, whatever left of them she displayed for all to see and feel 

“He has been through enough pain.” Rodolphus sighed, weary and worn out “we are not in a rush, we can wait for him to heal.” unlike her, her husband was every bit the pure blood heir his family bred him to be. No indecation of his conflict other than the ashen color to his skin and the sigh he willfully let out.

Bellatrix grit her teeth, angry at her helplessness. She could do nothing, nothing to make her son feel better. Her husband's consoling hand on her shoulder was her only comfort. He was the only one more hurt than she was. 

The healer, averting his eyes from the personal display, nodded his assent and provided the potions needed to enhance Hadrian's healing without causing him more pain. His body would have to mend itself.

“Why didn’t you come?” Hadrian’s voice cracked, hoarse from crying and screaming. He looked terrible. Cradling his unmoving appendage in his lab and biting his lips to stop his hiccuping breaths.

“We did baby,” Bellatrix said, coaxing. Extending a hand to touch his cheek. Her heart broke when he flinched away from her

“But,” he hiccuped, “why take so long?” His usually brilliant pale green eyes eyes piercing her with a hallow look “why wait for months? Why leave me to them?”

Bellatrix’s eyes widened in surprise, feeling her heart break further. She stood abruptly and immediately regretted her action for the way he flinched strongly. Tentatively sitting back down she whispered, as to not startle him, “Hadrian baby. What are you talking about? What months?” Her brows knotted and she took deep breath to calm herself, maybe it had been, she did loose time in the period he wasn’t with her. She lost herself in searching for him and when she didn’t find him, she lost herself even further. Maybe, maybe.

With a clipped voice she called for Hadrian’s favored house-elf. Kreature.

The house-elf materialized bowing deeply, long ears caressing the warm dark carpet, “Mistress.”

Bellatrix turned to her son, carefully extended her hand to him. When he showed no signs of pulling away from her other than a tiny flinch, that broke her heart anew, she gathered his palms in hers. “How long had it been since Hadrian been messing?”

The elf was enamored with Hadrian, and Hadrian knew that he rather would die than lie to him. They all said that he saw Regulus in him and while he didn’t know the man, he knew that Kreature basically worshiped him.

“A month.” Kreature said, eyes trained on the wooden frame at the end of the bed, tears overflowing from his eyes and sliding down his wrinkled face, “Kreature thought young master dead. Like master Regulus.”

Hadrian’s eyebrows wrinkled and he tried to push himself straighter on the bed only to wince when his newly healed legs twinged at him. With no support from his right appendage he had no choice but to lean on his mother for help. “But,” he objected, disoriented

He could remember, the pain, the passing of time, the dripping sound that he couldn’t tell the source of, his blood? Or the water dripping from the ceiling? “They said that it was longer, they,” he stammered, remembering their grimaces and loud laughs “said that you abandoned me.” He whispered

“I would never!” Bellatrix said, voice raised in outrage, “you are my son! I would die before I even thought to abandon you!” Her voice was sharp, true.

It settled Hadrian. She was loud but not like them. She was saying the truth. The edge and rage to her sharp voice were true. They fit right. Not like them. They were liars, they lied to him to make him resentful. They tried to turn him on his family, on his mother.

Hadrian leaned his whole weight into his mother’s side. Taking comfort in her familiar presence. She was true. She was there and everything was going to be alright.

He fell asleep with her hands patting his hair like she did when he was a child. Missing how her eyes darkened with rage.

“Hadrian darling,” Bellatrix murmured, patting his hair away from his face

“Yes mother?” Hadrian raised his head from the book cradled in his lap.

The injuries he had weren’t completely healed even with the swift and firm intervention of magic. The broken bone of his right clavicle allowed to heal with no intervention making it impossible for him to move his right appendage and he was still getting used to his healed severed Achilles tendons and the accompanied ability to walk again.

Rodolphus had brought him books to spend his time on bounding with him as before but had excused himself when he saw how uncomfortable his son was, being alone with him. That was how Bellatrix saw him walking out the room, his eyes carrying a pain that was quickly hidden under a well practiced pure blood mask. She hugged her husband murmuring what words of comfort she knew to give and with a chaste kiss bid him goodbye in favor of settling with her son.

The bed Hadrian lay on, dipped slightly with her added wight settling by his unharmed side “How are you feeling?” She asked, voice carrying a worried lilt that it hadn’t ever before.

Closing the book in his lab Hadrian buried his head into his mother’s shoulder, biting his lips and sighing, “I feel terrible,” he whispered, raising his head to look her in the eyes “father is trying his best but I can’t control my reactions. When he moves too quickly all I could think of is...” he trailed off “is…” his eyes willed up with tears and his words wouldn’t come out.

Bellatrix could feel her heart constricting, misery at her beloved son’s condition and fury at those who caused his suffering. “Shh, it’s going to be alright.” It pained her that he looked like when she first called him hers.

He sniffled pulling back slightly and wiping off his tears with his left hand, “I feel weak,” he murmured, his voice never raising than a murmur ever since he stopped panicking at their lord’s manor. “I’m your son, yet here I am cowering like a a spider set on fire.”

She forced a smile to her face tilting his head up lightly and grabbing his left hand with her own. Her fingers softly making circles above the space of his missing index and middle fingers. There was no returning them, magic or not. “You are my son, the fire that sets those spiders alight.” Her soft voice was barley recognizable to her own ears “you are strong and brave Harry,” she made sure he took her words in, staring deeply into his eyes “you are recovering from a serious ordeal, no one will begrudge you your rest. Even fire needs to recover after the rain no?”

Hadrian nodded, averting his eyes so that she wouldn’t know that he was unconvinced, so what if he needed to heal. He had enough time to heal and he shouldn’t be in bed making his father and mother miserable. He should be training, getting stronger, tougher, so that no one would ever have him in a disadvantage again, so that he could make his lord proud again, even if he couldn’t remember him. Instead here he was quivering at the lightest movement out of his immediate line of sight. Pathetic.

Bellatrix sighed pulling her son to her and forcing him to stare into her eyes,” Hadrian,” she said sternly “don’t blame yourself. I don’t know what is crawling around in your head, but I know that it is wrong.” When the dark sheen his eyes carried didn’t subside, she huffed “how about we train outside a little?”

His eyes brightened at the offer. He might not remember his past, his father, or his lord, but he did remember the rush he felt whenever he trained with his mother and whenever she looked at him with pried.

“You will not strain yourself and we will not do anything for too long,” she warned, absently thinking on how to accommodate his clumsy attempts to keep himself upright.

Despite the warning Hadrian still nodded his assent. He was his family’s pride and legacy and he wouldn’t let them down.

Hadrian pulled his robe loose around his shoulders and leaned on the bed’s canopy with his functional hand to push himself off the bed. It was a late night and his mother and father were in their rooms no doubt. The dark lord had relieved them from their duty for as long as it took for Hadrian to heal. And while Hadrian cannot remember the dark lord, he does know that he is a benevolent master, otherwise he wouldn’t let go of two of his best death eaters to let them attend to personal matters.

Sighing Hadrian pulled himself out the room and into the corridor heading to the garden. It was winter and snow covered every surface, giving the garden a frosty blue glow. There was a lovely intricate set of chairs under a stone pavilion enchanted to be warm at this time of the year and Hadrian headed to them for shelter from the falling snow.

The cold snuck into his bones, irritating the newly healed bones and his still healing clavicle. The pain was severe, yet Hadrian pushed on determined to ignore it. There was no point sitting at his room helpless Shivering and hiding behind his mother. He was a death eater. The mark on his forearm confirmed it and his mother said that it was a feat no other had achieved before. He was the dark lord’s chosen and he wasn’t planning on ‘healing’ and remaining passive. No matter how strongly his mother and father insisted on the matter.

A piercing cutting pain pierced through his body and Hadrian inhaled sharply, startling his godfather Sirius. The blind man straightened in his seat and fretted about his god son, hands reaching out to ascertain his well being.

Hadrian opened his eyes, surprised that he had closed them in the first place, and squeezed his godfather’s hand to reassure him, “I’m alright Sirius,” pushing himself up from the chair he had reclined upon to hear of the things Sirius has come to see, Hadrian tilted his head trying to determine the source of that brief shot of pain he felt.

Sirius sighed his relief, standing along with his godson when he felt the shift in the air. Hadrian had been getting better the past month. He could walk around freely now and no longer recoiled from sudden movement. He spent more time with his father bounding learning the ways of a pure blood heir. Rabastan, Barty and even Lucius stopped by to visit him, his aunt Narcissa was taken with grief at what befell him, and her son Draco treated him like a brother. Sirius began to understand that what the light had taught him was wrong, because here stands the dark lord’s followers with their worry and love and perhaps had Sirius not been blinded by his desire to defy his parents and fit in with the children of the light he would have seen it.

“I will go speak with father.” Hadrian announced, wishing to be alone but not wanting to hurt his godfather.

Lord Black nodded his assent, walking with his godson till they reached the corridor, and each took their own route.

Walking listlessly, Sirius contemplated how he seemed to see more ever since he was released from Azkaban, where he was unjustly discarded by Dumbledore. He saw that perhaps had he been less inclined to hang into every word that left Dumbledore’s mouth, had he been less inclined to rebel against his family he would’ve seen that his family loved him in their own way. Wouldn’t have fought with the side who killed his own brother.

They convinced him that what he had with his family wasn’t love and seeing Hadrian now he knew them to be wrong.

Walking briskly Hadrian decided to actually stop by his father’s study and inform him of the sharp pain he felt. It may have not affected him or lasted for long, but he doubted his parents would be pleased if it turned out to be vital and they weren’t informed of it.

Knocking on the mahogany door of his father’s study, Hadrian straightened, adjusting his robes, and waited. At the sound of his father’s reply Hadrian turned the handle contemplating how to not worry his father only for his thoughts to come to a complete halt when his eyes settled on the man sitting nearby the desk.

Back upright and dark hair flowing freely the man emitted raw magic. An elegant turn of his head put Hadrian in the man’s center of attention. Pinned under an arresting crimson gaze Hadrian felt an echo of the pain reverberate through his body, mellow enough to not count as pain at all. Hadrian averted his eyes, lowered, they rested upon the golden locket with exhibiting a distinct snake within polished crystal.

Swiftly and with no effort Hadrian knelt to the floor, disregarding of his aches and remaining injuries “My lord,” he murmured reverently, or as reverently as he could considering he didn’t know anything of the man other than what his mother father and godfather Barty told him of. He tried to keep track of everything in his journal ever since he got home.

The dark lord remained silent as he gestured for Hadrian to stand and advance further into the room. When Hadrian was close enough to touch, the dark lord leveled him once again with his eyes, tip of his wand resting under Hadrian’s chin so that he won’t avert his eyes again. “How are you feeling Hadrian?”

Hadrian stared at the crimson eyes as if hypnotized, lowering his lashes in supplication he answered, “I’m well my lord,” licking his lip nervously he reconsidered “there is still room for improvement.” His voice was lowered in deference

The dark lord hummed withdrawing his wand, which disappeared into his sleeve holster, and turned to Rodolphus with a dismissive air about him.

Hadrian licked his lip again, a resurfacing nervous tick his father said. He picked it up from his Godfather Barty and was trained out of it. Looks like it’s making a return lately. Clearing his throat Hadrian addressed his father, “I just came to inform you that I would be retiring for the night.”

His father had very few tells but Hadrian could easily interpret the worried clinch of his eyebrows and the slight wrinkle under his eye “The Dark Lord would be dining with us Hadrian, I’m afraid you must be present for supper.”

Hadrian nodded, trying very hard not to lick his lips and ending up bitting the inside of them. “Very well father.”

“Are you alright?” Rodolphus couldn’t resist fussing over his son and it warmed Hadrian’s heart that his patents loved him so. But it also created a contradicting wrath at the vermin who tried to convince him that his parents didn’t care for him.

“I’m alright father, I wished to finish reading a book that is all.” Bowing respectfully, he excused himself with a reverent “My lord.” And a warm “father.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Med school makes it really hard to write!
> 
> Also for those of you who don't know, this fic is marked complete because to me the end of every chapter is treated as an open end to the fic. You can think up ways for it to progress or I may be lucky and have my brain spit up a new chapter to add to it. thing is, I have a way for this fic to go to but the problem is how to get it there.  
I'm probably going to post another chapter one day soon since this chapter ends in a not-an-open-end kind of end
> 
> Still not a native English speaker!


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